At least 18 people including 9 civilians, one soldier and 8 rebels, were killed during fighting between the army and rebels known as the Allied Democratic Forces ADF.

Officials said the fight occurred on Thursday and Friday in Katanda and Kivu in the east and north east regions of the country.

The Kivu Security Barometer (KST), which has experts working in the field, via tweet said, there was an ADF incursion in the village of Katanda: people were killed, dozens of houses were set on fire and several people are missing.

For his part, Abdul Kalemire, head of the Bashu chiefdom in North Kivu, told AFP that the army, whose closest position is 11 km from the village, intervened late but allowed for the release of 15 hostages.

In neighboring Ituri province, the ADF rebels attacked the village of Malaya. While the army was able to neutralize eight rebels, one soldier lost his life – said Lieutenant Jules Ngongo, army spokesperson. 

The ADF originally from Uganda, have operated for nearly 3 decades in eastern DRC, where they are accused of killing thousands of civilians.