Congo raid leaves 33 bodies, local leaders say

Armed men attacked Cantine in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo overnight into 6 November, burning a health post and killing civilians. Local civil-society leader Justin Paluku said a provisional count had found 33 bodies; fellow leader Tchetche Aliamini confirmed the tally.

The attack struck as North Kivu province was already dealing with a Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak. The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention had recorded more than 10,000 cases and 5,300 deaths across the country. North Kivu accounted for almost half of new infections and was the second most affected province after Ituri.

Homes burned and residents fled

Cantine lies about 50 kilometers west of Beni. Beni territorial administrator Colonel Charles Omeonga told Reuters that fighters from the Allied Democratic Forces burned houses and killed civilians. Paluku also blamed the armed group, Al Jazeera said. The group has roots in Uganda and pledged allegiance to Islamic State in 2019.

Paluku said more than 50 houses had been burned and called the attack a major security failure, questioning how the attackers bypassed forces deployed in the area. Several thousand residents fled, most toward Beni and Butembo, RTVH said.

Ebola care disrupted

Christian Kakule, medical director of Cantine’s Kelekele Hospital Centre, said gunfire and burning homes came as close as 50 meters to the hospital. He said 180 patients fled, including one confirmed Ebola patient and people with suspected infections. High-risk contacts and others being monitored also fled.

Kakule warned that probable Ebola cases outside care could become a source of transmission and trigger an outbreak. He said it was difficult to locate those who had fled. A local civil-society leader said the search for bodies was continuing.