BUNIA, DR Congo Mar 01 (V7N) — At least 23 people were killed and about 20 taken hostage this week in northeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo by a group linked to the Islamic State.

The attacks by the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) took place on Tuesday and Wednesday in Ituri province, along the border with Uganda.

"A total of 23 people were executed by these rebels in the villages of Matolo and Samboko," said Jospin Paluku, coordinator of one of the main civil society organizations in Mambasa territory, adding that the death toll is provisional.

At least 20 civilians were abducted, including the son of the village chief of Matolo, he said.

Humanitarian groups confirmed the casualty figures and warned that the number of victims could rise. Most of the dead were farmers working in the fields, according to a local police chief.

The ADF, a former Ugandan rebel group, has been active in northeastern DR Congo since the mid-1990s. The group has killed thousands of civilians, despite the presence of Ugandan and Congolese armed forces in the region.

In late 2021, Uganda and the DRC launched a joint military operation against the ADF, called "Shujaa", but the offensive has failed to end the group’s attacks.

According to Paluku, this week's attack was the first ADF assault of 2025, breaking a three-month lull in violence.

Authorities continue to investigate.

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