Earlier we brought you news of a deadly attack by Islamist militants in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s eastern town of Oicha.
More details have surfaced – a regional civil society representative has said 12 minors were among those killed, while Oicha’s mayor said militants used machetes to kill the civillians.
Local army spokesperson Antony Mwalushayi said the attack was believed to be retaliation for recent army strikes against the Islamist group the ADF.
Meanwhile, in DR Congo’s North Kivu province , fighting between M23 rebels and pro-government armed groups moved closer to provincial capital Goma on Tuesday, with reported exchanges of fire within 20km (12 miles) of the city.
The M23, which has captured swathes of territory in North Kivu province since 2021, is just one of numerous militias holding sway over much of the region despite the presence of peacekeepers.
The conflict has recently intensified around Goma, home to over a million people, with M23 rebels and armed groups loyal to the government breaking a precarious truce.