12 killed in a suspected rebel attack in the northeast of Congo, a civil society organizations says

By JEAN-YVES KAMALE
Associated Press

KINSHASA, Congo (AP) — The extremist rebel group Allied Democratic Forces has been accused of killing at least 12 people in Ituri province in northeastern Congo. Local farmers discovered their bodies in the bush early Friday as they went to work their fields. A local civil society organization said Saturday that the death toll is provisional as uncounted more are feared dead in the attack which followed a skirmish with local militia forces. Conflict in eastern Congo has gone on for decades as myriad armed groups fight for control of valuable mineral resources. There are frequent mass killings, and the violence has triggered an exodus of refugees. A local administrator said government soldiers are tracking down the alleged perpetrators.