Scores killed in deadly escalation of violence in Eastern Congo

No less than 30 lives were claimed in an apparent escalation of deadly violence between two rival groups that has flared repeatedly this year.

An ethnic Nande militia in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo killed about 30 civilians, mostly Hutus, on Sunday morning, local sources said.

Joy Bokele, territorial administrator in North Kivu province’s Lubero territory, told Reuters that fighters from the Mai Mai Mazembe militia attacked the village of Luhanga at about 5 a.m. (0300 GMT) with guns and machetes.

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Competition for mineral-rich land have stoked conflict for two decades among eastern Congo’s dozens of armed groups.

The Mai Mai groups take their name from the word for “water” in a local Swahili dialect, because some of their fighters believe magic can turn flying bullets into water.

“For the time being, we have a provisional toll of about 30 deaths and about 20 wounded,” Bokele said.

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