Fourteen killed in rebel attack in Congo

At least 14 people have been killed in a militia attackin eastern Congo this week, a government official said on Friday.The incursion in Mantumbi, in the district of Beni, has beenattributed to radical Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) rebels,Donat Kibwana, the administrator of Beni territory, told dpa. "Assailants invaded the village of Mantumbi on Thursday around 3pm inheavy rain, killing 14 people," he said.The news comes just days after 12 were killed in similar attacks onTuesday. According to local human rights organization CEPADHO, more than 150people have been killed by rebels since October.Armed groups - many of whom are concerned with wresting control ofnatural resources - have carried out repeated attacks in easternCongo. Dozens of people have been killed in the past few weeks alone. An estimated 160 rebel groups with a total of more than 20,000fighters are active in Congo's east.Among them is the ADF, originally from Uganda, which repeatedlycarries out attacks around Beni. It has been accused of killingthousands of people, including United Nations peacekeepers.The UN has tried to stabilize the country for the past 20 years witha 15,000-strong peacekeeping force.In recent weeks, however, the residents of Beni and other cities havedemonstrated their dissatisfaction at government and UN protection,saying not enough is being done to prevent the insurgents.An epidemic of Ebola, which is difficult to control, is also ragingin the region mainly because of the poor security situation.