BENI: Sixteen people, including 12 civilians, were killed in a rebel attack on Beni in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s restive east, witnesses told AFP on Sunday. A doctor at the local hospital reported seeing 16 dead bodies, “including 12 civilians and four soldiers or rebels.” Eight people were injured, of whom five civilians, in the attack late Saturday. The Beni region is under siege from the Allied Defence Forces (ADF), an Islamist rebel group blamed for hundreds of civilian deaths over the past four years. Foreign humanitarian workers have been stationed in Beni, in the north Kivu province near the border with Uganda, since early August to deal with a new Ebola outbreak in the region. “The surprise attack happened in the streets of Beni city,” the doctor told AFP. Four of the dead were killed while travelling in a taxi. According to several witness accounts, the attack started around 1630-1700 GMT. </s> , BENI , Democratic Republic of Congo, Sep 23 – Sixteen people, including 12 civilians, were killed in a rebel attack on Beni in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s restive east, witnesses told AFP on Sunday.

A doctor at the local hospital reported seeing 16 dead bodies, “including 12 civilians and four soldiers or rebels.” Eight people were injured, of whom five civilians, in the attack late Saturday.

The Beni region is under siege from the Allied Defence Forces (ADF), an Islamist rebel group blamed for hundreds of civilian deaths over the past four years.

Foreign humanitarian workers have been stationed in Beni, in the north Kivu province near the border with Uganda, since early August to deal with a new Ebola outbreak in the region.

“The surprise attack happened in the streets of Beni city,” the doctor told AFP. Four of the dead were killed while travelling in a taxi.

According to several witness accounts, the attack started around 1630-1700 GMT.

Heavy and light calibre gunfire was heard for several hours until after midnight local time. It was not known whether the army counter-attacked.

The rebels targeted areas near the centre of the trading settlement of several hundred thousand inhabitants.

The ADF is a militia initially created by Muslim rebels to oppose Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, but also operates in the DRC.

The group has been in the east of the country since 1995 and are accused by the UN and Congolese authorities of committing a series of civilian massacres since 2014.

However, in 2015 the New York University Study Group on Congo said it was not just the ADF behind the killings and that other armed elements, including members of the Congolese army, were also to blame.

North Kivu, one of the most populated areas of the DRC, is home to a number of armed groups that kill or abduct civilians. </s> GOMA, Democratic Republic of Congo : At least 14 civilians and four soldiers were killed on Saturday in a six-hour attack by rebels on the town of Beni in eastern Congo, the army and local officials said, warning the unrest could hamper efforts to quash an Ebola epidemic in the area.

The latest outbreak of the deadly disease in Democratic Republic of Congo has been focussed in North Kivu and Ituri provinces, which have been a tinder box of armed rebellion and ethnic killing since two civil wars in the late 1990s.

Militants believed to belong to the Allied Democratic Forces, a Ugandan Islamist group active in eastern Congo, clashed with Congolese troops in Beni, a town of several hundred thousand people, local civil society leader Kizito Bin Hangi said by telephone.

"Beni is ungovernable this morning. Several protests have been declared in the town where the people express their anger with consternation," he said.

In addition to the known fatalities, dozens of civilians were wounded as they fled the violence, which broke out in the early hours of Saturday evening and lasted until midnight, Bin Hangi added.

During a press conference in Beni on Sunday, a representative of the Congolese army said four of its soldiers had also been killed in the attack.

Spokesman Mak Hazukay confirmed the civilian death toll of 14, but said six civilians and four military personnel had been wounded - lower figures than estimated by the civil society leader.

The attack underscores the challenges the government and health organisations face in tackling Ebola in an area where years of instability has undermined locals' confidence in the authorities.

The violence "will have a considerable impact on the whole response to Ebola," a local public health official told Reuters on condition of anonymity.

"The general hospital which houses one of the Ebola treatment centres was the focus of angry protests this morning. This is a normal reaction for a community that is bereaved for the umpteenth time," the official said.

The latest Ebola outbreak, which causes haemmorhagic fever, vomiting and diarrhea, is believed to have killed 99 people since July and infected another 48. </s> DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO: At least 18 people, including 14 civilians, have been killed in a rebel attack in Beni in Democratic Republic of Congo's restive east, an army spokesperson told AFP on Sunday.

Four soldiers were among the dead following the attack on Saturday night, military official Mak Hazukai said, with witnesses describing gunfire and groups of assailants slashing victims with machetes.

The Beni region, not far from the Ugandan border, is under siege from the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), an Islamist rebel group blamed for hundreds of civilian deaths over the past four years.

"The territory and the city of Beni are facing ADF terrorism whose command structure is led by Ugandans," said Hazukai, adding that nine people were also wounded in Saturday's violence.

The ADF is a militia initially created by Muslim rebels to oppose Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, but also operates in the DRC.

"The surprise attack happened in the streets of Beni city," a doctor at the local hospital told AFP. Four of the dead were killed while travelling in a taxi.

According to several witness accounts, the attack started around 1630-1700 GMT.

"There were lots of attackers, they gave a shout of joy... The rebels cut victims with a machete," witness Kasero Mumbi said.

ALSO READ | Ebola outbreak: Death toll in DR Congo now at 61

Heavy and light calibre gunfire was heard for several hours until after midnight local time. It was not known whether the army counter-attacked.

The rebels targeted areas near the centre of the city, home to several hundred thousand people.

"The people of North Kivu are suffering too much. This weekend again many innocent people have died," Dutch Ambassador Robert Schuddeboom said.

The ADF has been in the east of DR Congo since 1995 and is accused by the UN and Congolese authorities of committing a series of civilian massacres since 2014.

However, in 2015 the New York University Study Group on Congo said it was not just the ADF behind the killings and that other armed elements, including members of the Congolese army, were also to blame.

Beni is in North Kivu province, one of the most populated areas of the DRC, and home to a number of armed groups that kill or abduct civilians.

Foreign humanitarian workers have been stationed in Beni since early August to deal with a new Ebola outbreak in the region. </s> KINSHASA, Congo — A Congolese civil society group says that 18 people have been killed in attacks by suspected Allied Democratic Forces rebels in the eastern city of Beni, as the city and region continue to face an Ebola outbreak.

The U.N.-backed Radio Okapi reported Sunday that 14 civilians and 4 soldiers were killed in the attacks Saturday in the Rwenzori community of Beni.

The ADF rebels attacked a military position and the battle caused the deaths. Radio Okapi also reported many market stalls were looted by the suspected Uganda-based rebels.

Such attacks hamper efforts to contain an Ebola outbreak that Congo’s ministry said has infected at least 118 people, including 69 people who have died.

Congo’s tenth outbreak was declared on Aug. 1. More than 10,000 people have since been vaccinated. </s> GOMA, Democratic Republic of Congo (Reuters) - At least 14 civilians and four soldiers were killed on Saturday in a six-hour attack by rebels on the town of Beni in eastern Congo, the army and local officials said, disrupting efforts to contain an Ebola epidemic in the area.

The latest outbreak of the deadly disease in Democratic Republic of Congo has been focused in North Kivu and Ituri provinces, which have been a tinder box of armed rebellion and ethnic killing since two civil wars in the late 1990s.

Militants believed to belong to the Allied Democratic Forces, a Ugandan Islamist group active in eastern Congo, clashed with Congolese troops in Beni, a town of several hundred thousand people, local civil society leader Kizito Bin Hangi said by telephone.

“Beni is ungovernable this morning. Several protests have been declared in the town where the people express their anger with consternation,” he said.

In addition to the known fatalities, dozens of civilians were wounded as they fled the violence, which broke out in the early hours of Saturday evening and lasted until midnight, Bin Hangi added.

During a news conference in Beni on Sunday, a representative of the Congolese army said four soldiers had also been killed in the attack.

Spokesman Mak Hazukay confirmed the civilian death toll of 14, but said six civilians and four military personnel had been wounded — lower figures than estimated by the civil society leader.

The attack underscores the challenges the government and health organizations face in tackling Ebola in an area where years of instability has undermined locals’ confidence in the authorities.

Community unrest in the wake of the latest violence prompted the Health Ministry to suspend temporarily the field work it has been carrying out in Beni as part of its Ebola response.

“Many inhabitants of the town of Beni took to the streets this Sunday to protest against the growing insecurity in the zone. The field work of the response will resume once calm returns to the town,” the ministry said in its daily Ebola report.

The latest outbreak, which causes haemmorhagic fever, vomiting and diarrhea, is believed to have killed 99 people since July and infected another 48. </s> GOMA, Democratic Republic of Congo Sept 23 (Reuters) - At least 14 civilians were killed on Saturday in a six-hour attack by rebels on the town of Beni in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, local officials told Reuters, warning the unrest may hamper efforts to quash an Ebola epidemic in the area.

The latest outbreak of the deadly disease has been focused in North Kivu and Ituri provinces, which have been a tinder box of armed rebellion and ethnic killing since two civil wars in the late 1990s.

Militants believed to belong to the Allied Democratic Forces, a Ugandan Islamist group active in eastern Congo, clashed with Congolese troops in Beni, a town of several hundred thousand people, local civil society leader Kizito Bin Hangi said by telephone.

"Beni is ungovernable this morning. Several protests have been declared in the town where the people express their anger with consternation," he said.

In addition to the known fatalities, dozens of civilians were wounded as they fled the violence, which broke out in the early hours of Saturday evening and lasted until midnight, Bin Hangi added.

A spokesman for the army declined immediate comment.

The attack underscores the challenges the government and health organisations face in tackling Ebola in an area where years of instability has undermined locals' confidence in the authorities.

The violence "will have a considerable impact on the whole response to Ebola," a local public health official told Reuters on condition of anonymity.

"The general hospital which houses one of the Ebola treatment centres was the focus of angry protests this morning. This is a normal reaction for a community that is bereaved for the umpteenth time," the official said.

The latest Ebola outbreak, which causes haemmorhagic fever, vomiting and diarrhea, is believed to have killed 99 people since July and infected another 48. </s> At least 16 people have been killed and eight others injured in a rebel attack in the Democratic Republic of Congo's restive eastern city of Beni, according to witnesses.

Twelve of the dead were civilians and the rest government soldiers, witnesses told the AFP news agency on Sunday. The attack on late Saturday also left five civilians injured, according to a doctor at a local hospital. 



The Beni region is under siege from the Allied Defence Forces (ADF), a Ugandan rebel group that has operated in the region since 1995, which has been blamed for hundreds of civilian deaths over the past four years.

Foreign humanitarian workers have been stationed in Beni, in the North Kivu province near the border with Uganda, since early August to deal with a new Ebola outbreak in the region.

 

"The surprise attack happened in the streets of Beni city," the doctor told AFP. Four of the dead were killed while travelling in a taxi.

 

According to several witness accounts, the attack started around 16:30-17:00 GMT. 

 

Heavy and light-calibre gunfire was heard for several hours until after midnight local time. It was not known whether the army counterattacked.

 

The rebels attacked areas near the centre of the trading settlement of several hundred thousand inhabitants.

The ADF group is responsible for the deaths of more than 1,500 people and 800 kidnappings since 2014, according to local civil society organisations.

North Kivu, one of the most populated areas of the DRC, is home to a number of armed groups that kill or abduct civilians. </s> GOMA, Congo (Reuters) - At least seven U.N. peacekeepers were killed in clashes with militias near the east Congolese town of Beni, at the center of the country’s worst ever Ebola epidemic, United Nations and diplomatic sources said on Thursday.

“Our peacekeeping colleagues tell us that six peacekeepers from Malawi and one from Tanzania who are part of the UN peacekeeping operation in the DRC ... were killed yesterday, in Beni territory, in North Kivu,” U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters in New York.

East Congo has been plagued by banditry and armed insurrections for more than two decades since the fall of former military ruler Mobutu Sese Seko, but the past year has seen a surge in violence around North Kivu.

Beni and the surrounding villages are also suffering an Ebola epidemic that has infected over 300 people and killed two thirds of them.

This makes it the third worst outbreak ever after a 2013-2016 outbreak in West Africa when 28,000 people were infected and in Uganda in 2000 when there were 425 cases.

Constant armed attacks by at least two rebel groups in the region are hampering international efforts to contain the virus, by preventing medical workers from gaining access to Ebola victims.
Rebels kill 23 civilians and four soldiers in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The attack was near an Ebola epidemic in the town of Beni in eastern Congo.