Armed militants killed more than 51 civilians in an attack on a cluster of villages in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, a village chief, a lawmaker and a member of a civil society said on Tuesday, with the eventual death toll expected to rise.

Authorities say militia fighters in northeastern Congo have killed at least 55 civilians in an attack on a cluster of villages and a camp for displaced people camp.

Armed militants have killed more than 35 civilians during an attack on a cluster of villages in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo's Ituri province, a village chief says.