At least 13 people were killed in an attack on a village near the border between the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda, authorities confirmed on Saturday. The assault targeted Banana Ecole, a suburb of Mambasa in northeastern Congo, where armed militants reportedly burned and looted homes.

Local sources identified the perpetrators as members of the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), an armed group with ties to the Islamic State organization. Marie-Noelle Anotane, head of the New Civil Society of Congo in Mambasa, and Sylvain Andali, a resident of the area, both attributed the violence to the ADF.

The group has been responsible for numerous attacks in the region, often targeting civilians and security forces amid ongoing conflict in eastern Congo. The assault on Banana Ecole marks the latest in a series of incidents linked to the ADF’s insurgency, which has destabilized parts of the border area with Uganda.

Security forces have not yet released an official statement regarding the incident. Efforts to secure the region and protect vulnerable communities continue as violence persists in the broader region. Humanitarian organizations have expressed concern over the impact of such attacks on local populations, underscoring the urgent need for renewed stabilization and peacekeeping initiatives.