At least 17 people, including women and children, have been killed by Islamist fighters of the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) in Bakwanza of Mambasa territory, in Ituri Province of north-eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.
The bodies of the victims were discovered last Sunday floating in the waters of the Ituri River, local sources have indicated.
Sources have also revealed that these civilian hostages who were executed having been kidnapped on March 22 by the ADF in the village of Matolo.
“We presented this report [of 17 bodies] to all the authorities in the Mambasa territory so that they are aware of what is happening. There are at least 17 dead bodies recovered among which we find women and children who had been taken hostage by the ADF on March 22 in the village of Matolo,” said John Vulevyero, local leader of the New Congolese Civil Society.
This is the second time bodies have been recovered in the Ituri River in the space of just two weeks as the territories of Mambasa and South Irumu continue to plagued by attacks and kidnapping of civilians by the ADF rebels who have fled military operations in the territory of Beni over two years ago.
