A local mayor said on Friday, seventeen people have been killed in two attacks by the ADF militant group in the troubled Benin region of eastern DR Congo.
Mayor Nyonyi Masumbuko Bwanakana said twelve civilians died in Mangolikene on the outskirts of Beni city in North Kivu on Thursday while another five were killed overnight in the Paida area.
The regional army’s spokesman said the five killings in Paida happened during an attack on barracks in the city.
The attacks came a day after opposition candidate Martin Fayulu visited Beni to launch his campaign ahead of this month’s high-stakes presidential election.
The government has often blamed the group for killings, robberies and kidnappings, but sometimes it is unclear who the true assailants are.