An armed group slew seven civilians in an attack on a mining town in Democratic Republic of Congo, a source said Saturday, with the army claiming it killed 36 attackers, IgbereTV reports.
Fighters from the armed Cooperative for the development of Congo (Codeco) on Friday struck the town of Mungwalu, north of Ituri’s provincial capital Bunia, local community organiser Cherubin Nkuku Ndilawa told AFP.
“Seven civilians were killed by militiamen, among them two children, one a pregnant woman and four men,” he added.
The incident forced local residents to flee the town for neighbouring areas and “two Codeco militiamen captured by angry youths were burned alive,” Ndilawa said.
The army said it had “fiercely repelled” the “attempted incursion” according to the force’s local spokesman Jules Ngongo.
The military intervened and were scouting the area with at least two combat helicopters, according to witnesses.
“The provisional toll of this operation is that 36 Codeco militiamen were killed and eight captured,” Ngongo added.
Explosives dropped during the operation killed two bystanders and injured three in the mining area of Camp Blangete, he said
