This archive report was first published on 21 November 2019.
At least 19 people were killed and several others kidnapped in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo as Islamist militiamen stepped up attacks on civilians in response to a military campaign against them.
According to local officials, the militiamen, who belong to the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), a Ugandan Islamist group, attacked two villages about 35 km apart, killing at least 12 people in the village of Mavete and seven on the outskirts of the city of Beni.
The ADF also burned a Catholic church and a pharmacy in Mavete and kidnapped several others.
The Congolese army began an offensive three weeks ago near the Ugandan border, targeting the ADF, which has been operating in the region for over two decades.
Several previous ADF attacks have been claimed by Islamic State, but the extent of their relationship remains unclear.
At least 70 people have been killed since the army campaign began, according to the Kivu Security Tracker, a research initiative that maps unrest in the region.
The violence by the ADF and other militias has also hindered efforts to contain an Ebola outbreak that has killed more than 2,000 people since last year.
