Brutal Attack on Funeral Kills at Least 70 in Eastern DR Congo

(MENAFN) At least 70 people lost their lives during a nighttime assault on a funeral in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, local media reported Tuesday, with the rebel faction Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) suspected to be behind the massacre.

The violent strike occurred around 10:00 pm local time (0000 GMT Tuesday) Monday in Ntoyo, a village located in Lubero territory of North Kivu province. Paluku Nzalamingi, a parish priest who visited the scene early Tuesday, told a news website, about the scale of the carnage.

“They killed almost everyone who was gathered at the funeral home. … In any case, many were shot dead. Bodies are on the road, in plots near the center of Ntoyo. I haven't been able to count them, but it's more than 70 people, at least, is what I can say. Mostly killed by bullets,” Nzalamingi said.

Local leader Mwami Eugene Viringa echoed these numbers to the news website, warning that the death toll could be even higher. A resident who helped recover bodies in Ntoyo reported the figure might be as high as 102 victims.

A news agency has not been able to independently verify these casualty figures, which remain unconfirmed by official administrative or security authorities.

The ADF, originally established in Uganda, has escalated its violent activities in eastern Congo over recent years. The group has taken advantage of ongoing political instability and local conflicts to entrench itself in the Kivu region, where it has launched numerous deadly attacks against both civilians and security forces, particularly in rural areas.

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