The army in the Democratic Republic of Congo on Friday claimed killing eight rebels in Kisunga village in North Kivu province.

In a statement, Captain Anthony Mualushayi said the army killed eight rebels who attacked the village with the intention of looting food and medicine.

He said six of the killed rebels belonged to the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) while two were Mai Mai militiamen. The captain said some soldiers and civilians also got injured in a crossfire between the army and the rebels.

The rebels had killed six villagers and set several houses and a health center on fire before the army could rescue the attacked civilians, he added.

He underlined that the army is determined to flush out the rebels from that part of the country and called on people to immediately report if they see rebels in their area.

For years, the ADF rebels and other militia groups have been attacking villages, killing civilians, and looting their property.