A suicide bomber struck shortly after noon in front of a restaurant in the northern city of Benny, hoping to celebrate Christmas.
So far, five dead and 14 wounded have been reported, including two government officials in what appears to be a first-of-its-kind organization close to ISIS in the east of the country.
"The suicide bomber, whose security guards prevented him from entering the crowded bar, activated the charge outside the entrance," regional governor's spokesman General Akanj Sylvain said in a statement accusing the Islamist organization Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) of being responsible.
However, as of this writing no organization has claimed responsibility for the attack but it may be a response to a joint military operation by security forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda's army since last November, targeting training camps and targets of the ADF near the attack site.
"We call on people to remain vigilant and avoid crowded areas during the holidays," General Sylvain noted.
"It is difficult to know at this time who is who," he added.
Government spokesman Patrick Moihiya said: "Among those killed were a Congolese army commander, his two daughters, a man and a woman."
"The President of the Republic (Felix Chiskadi) is determined to bring peace to this part of the region, which is why he chose to fight the common enemy called the ADF which came from Uganda."
Meanwhile, authorities first asked churches, restaurants and hotels to step up their vigilance against further attacks in the near future.
On June 28, a bomb exploded inside a church in the town of Benny, injuring two.
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