Not less than seven people, including four children, were killed in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) after unidentified gunmen attacked a fuel truck, local officials have said.
The fuel truck was set ablaze by unidentified armed men near Katwiguru, a town in the North Kivu province, according to Jerome Nyamuhanzi, a village leader from Rutshuru territory where the attack occurred on Wednesday.
Tragically, following the assault, children found an unexploded bomb at the scene, mistaking it for a toy. “The device exploded, killing four children instantly,” Nyamuhanzi said.
Hospital sources confirmed that at least seven people, including the four children, were killed in the attack, and six others were injured. The sources, speaking anonymously for security reasons, refrained from speculating on who was behind the assault.
North Kivu province has long been marred by violence, with numerous armed groups operating in the area. Since late 2021, the Rwanda-backed M23 group has captured significant portions of the region. Meanwhile, elements of the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), a militia formed by perpetrators of the 1994 Rwandan genocide, also operate in the area and regularly engage in ambushes against M23 forces.
Local reports also indicated that three militiamen died during an attack on an M23 position just a few kilometres from the truck attack.