Militia kills more than 35 civilians in east Congo, village chief says

BUNIA, Democratic Republic of Congo (Reuters) - Armed militants killed more than 35 civilians during an attack on a cluster of villages in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo's Ituri province on Monday night, a village chief said on Tuesday.

The head of the Djaiba group of villages in Djugu territory, Jean Vianney, said CODECO militants carried out the attack, which started around 8 p.m., summarily executing residents and setting houses on fire.

"We have counted more than 35 dead this morning and the search is ongoing. There are people injured, many burnt to death in their homes," he said.

Local civil society leader Jules Tsuba said 49 bodies had been counted so far on Tuesday morning and that the search was ongoing.

CODECO is one of a myriad of militias fighting over land and resources in east Congo. It has been accused in the past by the United Nations of attacks against other communities including Hema herders that could constitute war crimes and crimes against humanity. The majority of residents in Djugu territory are Hema.

"The victims are from the Hema community," Vianney said, adding that Congolese soldiers and U.N. peacekeepers stationed around 3 kilometres (1.86 miles) did not intervene.

Congo's army and the U.N. peacekeeping mission in Congo MONUSCO did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

(Reporting by Erikas Mwisi; Additional reporting by Sonia Rolley; Writing by Sofia Christensen; Editing by Peter Graff)