An attack by a militant group has killed at least nine people in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, local sources said on Sunday.

Overnight Saturday to Sunday, the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) carried out attacks against civilians in the town of Oicha, looting shops and setting fire to homes, according to accounts collected by AFP on the spot.

During "this incursion, the ADF enemy killed eight civilians and a police officer," Isaac Kavalami, president of a local civil group, told AFP.

On Sunday, An AFP correspondent saw nine bodies at the morgue of Oicha General Hospital, some with stab wounds.

ADF's deadly attacks

Lieutenant Marc Elongo, spokesperson for the Congolese army in the region, also blamed "ADF terrorists" for the attack.

The ADF were taking revenge on local civilians in retaliation for ongoing military operations in the area, he said in a statement.

Over the years, the ADF has killed thousands of civilians, especially in eastern DRC.