Fourteen bodies were found on Saturday, Kakule Kalunga said. A local chief said they were discovered by Red Cross workers who went into nearby forest to look for those missing after the attack on Kasanzi village in the Beni territory of North Kivu.
Beni lies at the heart of an area where the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) -- linked Daesh -- have mounted deadly attacks in spite of emergency security measures by President Felix Tshisekedi.
The "19 people were killed by the rebels who plague the territory of Beni, the ADF," Kalunga said, adding that the victims were killed by "bladed weapons and fire", and that houses were also set ablaze.
In a statement on Friday, Meleki Mulala, a spokesperson for the New Civil Society organisation in Rwenzori, deplored the absence of military personnel around Beni.
Regional military sources contacted by AFP on Saturday did not immediately comment.
For an optimal experience, please
