Militia executes 17 hostages including pregnant woman in DR Congo

A militia group in eastern DR Congo has executed 17 hostages, including a pregnant woman, local sources said.

On Sunday, the group that calls itself CODECO executed 17 people it had captured in the Djugu territory in cold blood.

Reportedly, the victims were passengers aboard four vehicles heading to Mungwalu.

The individuals were taken hostage after three CODECO members were killed in a clash with a rival militia.

Among those taken hostage was a pregnant woman, said reports, adding that her unborn child also lost its life in the brutal attack.

CODECO is one of myriad armed groups operating in the restive, mineral-rich region.

However, in recent days the group has been accused of carrying out multiple massacres, including the killing of at least 30 people, many of whom were women and children.

The situation in eastern Congo is highly volatile, with dozens of armed groups vying for control of territory.

Many of these groups trace their origins back to the regional wars of the 1990s and 2000s.

Ituri province, where the recent attacks occurred, is known as a violence hotspot, with regular attacks claiming the lives of many innocent civilians.