Islamic State-linked militants hacked at least 50 civilians to death at a funeral in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo on Monday night, local officials said, in one of a string of brutal attacks across North Kivu.
"I can confirm a provisional death toll of 50. The victims were caught off guard at a mourning ceremony in the village of Ntoyo at around 9 p.m., and most of them were killed with machetes," Macaire Sivikunula, the local administrator for Lubero territory, told reporters. Colonel Alain Kiwewa, the military administrator for Lubero, said the toll was around 60 and could rise as people remained missing.
The Allied Democratic Forces, an armed group that originated in Uganda and pledged allegiance to Islamic State in 2019, has adopted the name Islamic State Central Africa Province (IS-CAP) in the region. Since its alignment with the militant network the group has escalated attacks in eastern Congo, frequently targeting civilians with machetes and firearms, according to local authorities and humanitarian agencies.
Witnesses described attackers storming the funeral in Ntoyo, in Lubero territory of North Kivu province. Security forces and emergency teams carried out searches in surrounding areas overnight, and local officials said the toll could increase as bodies were recovered and relatives reported missing persons.
The raid follows several recent high-casualty strikes attributed to the ADF. In July, a massacre at a Catholic church in Komanda killed dozens, including children, while security sources and rights groups have said more than 50 civilians were killed in several attacks across the province last month. United Nations officials and human rights organizations have repeatedly condemned the violence and urged accountability for mass killings that violate international humanitarian law.
The ADF has been blamed for years of slaughter, kidnappings and extortion in the borderlands of eastern Congo and western Uganda. Regional and national counterinsurgency operations involving Congolese forces and Ugandan troops have pushed back the group at times but have not eradicated its presence. Military officials say the militants finance operations through illicit trade, taxation of local populations and other criminal activities, while maintaining an active propaganda apparatus online.
The humanitarian fallout from recurrent attacks has worsened living conditions across North Kivu. Thousands of civilians have been displaced from villages and towns, stretching the capacity of relief agencies and exacerbating needs for shelter, food and medical care. Local authorities said survivors from the Ntoyo attack were receiving emergency assistance, and security forces increased patrols in nearby areas.
Analysts note that Islamic State affiliates and allied groups have expanded in parts of Africa over the past decade, exploiting weak governance, local grievances and porous borders. In West Africa, Boko Haram formally pledged allegiance to Islamic State in 2015 and has since conducted large-scale massacres, mass kidnappings and suicide attacks in Nigeria and neighboring states.
Congolese authorities, regional governments and international partners have called for stepped-up operations to protect civilians and bring perpetrators to justice, but challenges remain. Restrictions on humanitarian access, limited state presence in remote areas, and the complex web of armed groups operating in eastern Congo complicate efforts to secure lasting stability.
Local officials said investigations into the Ntoyo attack were ongoing and that security operations would continue in Lubero territory. The United Nations and international humanitarian organizations reiterated appeals for greater protection for civilians and increased support for communities affected by the violence.