Islamic State has claimed its first attack in the Democratic Republic of Congo after two Congolese soldiers and a civilian were killed in a shootout.
The three died in clashes on Tuesday in Bovata, near the north eastern town of Beni. The town and its surrounding areas have been dogged by militia violence for years.
IS also claimed a higher toll of five soldiers, though their claims could not be verified independently.
According to United Nations sources, witnesses said the attack had been carried out by an Islamist group called Allied Democratic Forces (ADF). ADF is believed to have links to the IS.
IS has in the past carried out multiple attacks across Africa, mainly in the West African region.
The Lake Chad region has particularly been beset by extremist Islamist militancy for years, which has killed tens of thousands and displaced millions of people.
The DR Congo has itself been dogged by violence for years, but rarely due to extremists Islamist terrorism. The country’s wars have mainly been fueled by ethnic animosities.
