In eastern Congo, 12 individuals were killed by militants affiliated with the Islamic State, according to an official

According to a local official on Monday, militants affiliated with the Islamic State group in eastern Congo have murdered at least 12 individuals in numerous villages in North Kivu province.

Nicole Kikuku, the mayor of the municipality, stated on national television that the Allied Democratic Forces’ fighters attacked individuals in the village of Mukonia on Saturday. The mayor also stated that the death toll may be higher due to the fact that several villages are still absent.

The Allied Democratic Forces have recently intensified their attacks. The group was responsible for the deaths of at least 40 individuals in numerous villages in North Kivu last June. It is also suspected of being responsible for an atrocity that occurred in neighboring Uganda last year, in which 41 individuals, primarily students, were slain.

Uganda’s army conducted simultaneous air and artillery operations against the ADF in eastern Congo in 2021.

For decades, Eastern Congo has been plagued by armed conflict, as more than 120 groups contend for power, land, and valuable mineral resources, while others endeavor to safeguard their communities. Mass murders have been attributed to certain armed organizations.

The violence has resulted in the displacement of nearly 7 million individuals, many of whom are beyond the reach of humanitarian assistance.

The U.N. peacekeeping mission in Congo, which assisted in the conflict against insurgents for over two decades before being requested to depart by the Congolese government due to its failure to resolve the conflict, will conclude its withdrawal by the end of 2024. The 15,000-member force has commenced its three-phase withdrawal from South Kivu province.

The government also instructed an East African regional force, which was deployed last year to assist in the resolution of the conflict, to depart the country for the same reason.