At least three people have been killed in an overnight attack in the village of Idohu, eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, in violence attributed to the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) rebel group, UN radio reported on Sunday.

The attackers entered Idohu in the eastern province of Ituri around 7pm local time (1700GMT) on Saturday, armed with rifles and machetes, opened fire indiscriminately, and broke into homes before army forces responded, according to Radio Okapi.

Three bodies, including of a woman, were recovered on Sunday morning in the Walesse Vonkutu chiefdom, where searches continued and the death toll could rise as several people remained missing, the UN radio said citing local sources.

This is the second attack by the ADF in Idohu, following one in March that killed about 10 people, and comes after last week’s overnight assault in the town of Komanda in Ituri, where 43 civilians, including several Catholic catechumens preparing for confirmation, were killed.

ADF's activities intensify

The ADF activity in eastern DR Congo has intensified in recent years. Originally formed in Uganda, the rebel group has crossed borders to establish a foothold in the Kivu region, exploiting local conflicts.

The group is responsible for deadly attacks that have targeted security forces and civilians, often in rural areas.