Suspected militants killed 15 civilians in an attack on a village in northeast Democratic Republic of Congo, a human rights group and local official said on Monday.
Fighters believed to be members of the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) stormed the village of Bulongo in North Kivu province after dark on Sunday, pillaging homes and murdering inhabitants that crossed their path, municipality mayor Jean-Paul Katembo told Reuters.
Bulango is around 40 km east of the city of Beni in the Ruenzori district.
The attackers killed 15 people and set fire to six vehicles, Ricardo Rupande, president of the Ruenzori Sector Civil Society group, said.
Militia violence in Congo's mineral-rich east pushed the government to appoint military officers to run North Kivu and neighbouring Ituri province in May last year.
More than 60 people were killed over five days of attacks on villages in March and more than 40 during similar assaults in April.
ZZ/PR