In an attack on a clinic in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, perpetrators killed at least 13 people, including babies and patients, overnight, hospital staff said Friday. Congolese forces have accused the attack on local militias who have allied with Muslim fighters.
The ISIS terrorist group claimed responsibility for the attack, the group’s news agency said in a statement on its telegram channel on Saturday.
According to two witnesses, Ugandan armed groups, the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), who have been active in the dense forests of eastern Congo for decades, are in church around 10 pm Thursday night. Attacked the clinic.
A military spokesman said the attackers actually came from local militias working with the ADF and using the same method.
Army spokesman Anthony Mualushay said the army killed three fighters and captured one when responding to an attack in the town of Lume, North Kivu.
While the hospital nurse was counting thirteen, he said there were nine dead, including three children.
Kule Mwenge Salomon, a nurse at the Lume Health Center, said, “Four patients were burned at the ward, all mattresses were burned at the pediatric department, and nine bodies were collected at the side ward.” It states.
Hospital director Kule Bwenge told reporters that the attack killed three babies and four patients.
An attack at a medical center on Thursday night left some hospital staff missing and burned several homes. It is the largest medical facility in the area.
“Four blocks in the medical center were on fire. Several sick guards and nurses were missing,” Bwenji said.
Kakure Bikele Rem was feeding his father at the clinic when he saw a line of people with torches approaching a town about 40 km (25 miles) southeast of Beni. ..
“I ran away thinking they would spare the hospital, but unfortunately they burned my dad in the hospital,” Vikere said.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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