At least 33 civilians have been killed in an attack in the Kantina area of North Kivu province in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The attack took place overnight on November 6 and has been attributed to the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) – an armed group linked to the African branch of the Islamic State.
The figures for the number of victims vary. Local community leader Justin Paluku told the Associated Press: “So far, we have counted 33 bodies and more than 50 burned houses, in addition to other material damage.” Radio RFI, citing the Congolese armed forces, reports that 37 civilians were killed. The final death toll has not yet been confirmed.
According to the Associated Press, the attackers set fire to homes and other buildings and looted pharmacies and medical centers before withdrawing into a wooded area. Many local residents fled to other parts of the province.
180 patients leave hospital
Among the hardest-hit facilities was the Kelekele hospital center. Its medical director, Christian Kakule, said that 180 patients had left the facility because of the gunfire and fires nearby. Some of them are suspected of having Ebola, while one patient has a confirmed infection.
“Our concern is that when probable cases remain outside, they can become a source of transmission and cause the disease to spread,” Kakule told the Associated Press.The attack comes amid a severe Ebola outbreak in the Congo. The displacement of patients and the disruption of medical center operations are further complicating contact tracing and access to healthcare.
Paluku described what happened as a “serious security failure,” saying that the armed attackers had managed to circumvent the forces deployed in the area and attack the civilian population. No information has been reported about any detained attackers or an official final death toll.
Sources: rbc.ru, apnews.com, rfi.fr