At least 42 people reported killed by rebels in Congo’s east

By JEAN-YVES KAMALE
Associated Press

KINSHASA, Congo (AP) — A civil society organization in eastern Congo says a rebel group in Ituri province killed at least 42 people. The organization’s president says three towns in Djugu territory were attacked by the CODECO militia group on Friday. The army confirmed the attack and said it was searching for the perpetrators. Fighting between CODECO, a loose association of various ethnic Lendu militia groups, and Zaire, a mainly ethnic Hema self-defense group, has been ongoing since 2017 but worsened recently. At least 32 civilians were killed by CODECO in February. Eastern Congo has more than 120 armed groups, most fighting for land and control of mines with valuable minerals, and some trying to protect their communities.