IS-affiliated militants kill 13 in eastern Congo village raid

Suspected Islamic State-linked militants killed at least 13 civilians in a pre-dawn raid on a village in eastern Congo on Saturday, according to local civil society officials.

The attack targeted Banana École, a settlement on the outskirts of Mambasa, the territorial capital in Ituri province. Witnesses said the assailants torched and looted homes before withdrawing.

Marie-Noelle Anotane, who heads the New Civil Society of Congo/Mambasa, said the death toll is provisional. "Most residents aren't responding to calls, and searches are continuing in other surrounding villages," she said.

Local resident Sylvain Andali said he is leaving the area for Bunia, fearing more violence. "Many of my neighbors have already died, and I must protect my life and the lives of my family," he said.

The attackers are believed to be from the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), a Ugandan-origin group that pledged allegiance to the Islamic State in 2019. The ADF has long operated in the border region and is among dozens of armed groups active in Congo.

The raid comes as the region grapples with the world's fastest-spreading Ebola outbreak, complicating relief efforts. In July 2025, the ADF killed 66 people in eastern Congo in what the United Nations described as a "bloodbath."

Congo also faces threats from roughly 100 other rebel factions, most notably the Rwanda-backed M23, which has captured key cities in the east.