Clashes between units of the Democratic Republic of Congo army and jihadist rebels in the east left at least 18 dead, half of them civilians, monitors and community sources said on Friday.

"At least nine civilians were killed overnight in Katanda territory," the Kivu Security Barometer reported in a tweet.

"Searches are still under way," added the violence monitor, which has experts in the area.

The clashes happened when Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) guerrillas swooped on the village of Katanda in Nord Kivu for several hours overnight.

"There was an ADF incursion from 10:00 pm to 3:00 am in the village of Katanda. Nine civilians were killed, dozens of houses were burned and several people are missing," Abdul Kalemire, Chief of the Bashu chiefdom told AFP.

Kalemire said the ADF use such incursions to lure the army and UN peacekeepers into clashes.

The army, whose closest position is 11 kilometers (seven miles) from the village, "intervened late" but managed to secure the release of 15 hostages, Kalemire added.

One soldier and eight rebels were also killed in the combat, army spokesman Lieutenant Jules Ngongo told AFP.

The rebels have recently been dislodged from their main strongholds in the forest in joint operations conducted by the Democratic Republic of Congo army and peacekeepers.

In neighbouring Ituri province, ADF rebels also attacked the village of Malaya.

The ADF emerged as a rebel movement in neighbouring Uganda in 1996 but has been active in the eastern DR Congo for nearly 30 years, accused of killing thousands of civilians.

Since April 2019, IS has claimed responsibility for some of their attacks, and in March this year Washington placed the ADF on a list of "terrorist organisations" affiliated with IS.

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