Militants with ties to the Islamic State group kill at least 14 farmers in an attack in east Congo

autotldr Bot , 7 months ago

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Click here to see the summaryThe Allied Democratic Forces attacked Mamove village in North Kivu province on Friday night where they beheaded the farmers working on their fields, said Samson Simara, a delegate of the provincial governor. “This death toll could rise because other farmers are missing,” he told local media, adding that the militants also burned down several houses in the village. Armed violence in eastern Congo has been simmering for decades as more than 120 groups fight for power, land and valuable mineral resources, while others try to defend their communities, but it spiked in late 2021 when another rebel group, that goes by M23 and had been largely dormant, resurfaced and initiated attacks to seize land. The attacks have heightened tensions ahead of Congo’s presidential election in December, with many residents in affected communities afraid for their safety. Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi, who seeks reelection, has said rebel-controlled territories might not participate in the December vote for security reasons. In 2021, Uganda’s army launched joint air and artillery strikes against the ADF in eastern Congo. — Saved 26% of original text.