At least 12 people were killed when suspected fighters from the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) attacked a town in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo on Thursday, local sources said.

The assault on the town of Biakato in the Mambasa territory of Ituri Province caused widespread panic, prompting hundreds of residents, including women and children, to flee the area. Several people remain missing following the attack as search efforts continue.

Gilbert Sivamwenda, a member of the Ituri Provincial Assembly, described the security situation as “worrying,” noting that the region is frequently targeted by armed groups.

This attack follows another incident less than 48 hours earlier in Beni, North Kivu Province, where around 20 civilians were reportedly killed in an assault attributed to the same rebel group.

The ADF, a Ugandan rebel faction affiliated with the Islamic State in Central Africa, has long operated in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. Joint military operations by Congolese and Ugandan forces, ongoing since November 2021, aim to counter the group, but it continues to threaten local communities.