KAMPALA, Uganda 

At least 15 civilians were killed in an attack by Ugandan ADF rebels Saturday, UN radio and a security officer in North Kivu reported.

The attack took place in Mbau, the capital of the Beni-Mbau sector in North Kivu in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

UN radio said the attack was confirmed by security and several civil society groups in the area.

North Kivu security officer, lieutenant Ambrose Serembe, told Anadolu Agency a group of ADF rebels attacked Mbau town at 2 a.m. (2100GMT).

''We have established that the rebels killed seven pygmies and eight other civilians,” said Serembe. “The rebels first attacked three localities of the town at the same time. They attacked Mbau-center, Madinda and Kebi keba. They set fire to the houses and killed eight people before raiding a pygmy camp at Kebi keba where they killed seven pygmies.''

He said rebels looted property from shops and homes before they fled to the forest.

On October 31, the army in the east started operations against ADF rebels and several attacks have been made on their camps. But raids on villages and towns by ADF continue.

The ADF originated in Uganda in the 1990s with a group of rebels intent on overthrowing Uganda's President Yoweri Museveni.

After a few years, they were overpowered and fled into the jungles of the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo from where they have caused havoc to neighboring areas.