Islamists kill 23 in early morning attack - DR Congo mayor

At least 23 civilians have been killed in an early morning attack by armed rebels in the troubled eastern region of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The mayor of Oicha, a town in the Beni region, attributed the killings to the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF).

The ADF, a Ugandan armed group based in eastern Congo, has pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group and launched frequent attacks.

In June, ADF militants killed 42 people, including 37 students in a high school in western Uganda.

The deaths of two tourists and their guide at a national park in southwest Uganda last week were also attributed to the ADF.

Uganda and DR Congo launched a joint military operation two years ago to try to root out the insurgents.

Uganda's army said last month it had succeeded in killing more than 560 fighters and destroying some of their camps.