Militants with ties to the Islamic State group kill at least 14 farmers in an attack in east Congo

By JEAN-YVES KAMALE
Associated Press

KINSHASA, Congo (AP) — A local official in Congo says militants from a shadowy extremist organization with ties to the Islamic State Group killed at least 14 farmers in Congo’s hard-hit eastern region. The Allied Democratic Forces attacked Mamove village in North Kivu province on Friday night where they beheaded the farmers working on their fields, said Samson Simara, a delegate of the provincial governor. Armed violence in eastern Congo has been simmering for decades as more than 120 groups fight for power, land and valuable mineral resources, while others try to defend their communities. The attacks have heightened tensions ahead of Congo’s presidential election in December, with many residents in affected communities afraid for their safety.