At least 23 people were killed in an attack attributed to the rebels of the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), a Congolese military spokesperson said Tuesday.

The rebels launched the attack around 8:30 p.m., local time, Monday on the outskirts of Oicha, a town in the eastern North Kivu province, said Anthony Mualushayi, a military spokesperson in the Beni region.

According to him, the rebels tied up the majority of the victims before executing them with machetes and bullets. Military reinforcements deployed after the attack are still tracking down the rebels.

The territory of Beni, where Oicha is located, has been plagued by attacks by the ADF rebels for decades.

The ADF was founded in the 1990s by several opposition movements in Uganda. It was originally based in western Uganda but has expanded into the neighboring DRC, which led to joint operations between the DRC and Uganda to fight against the group.