At least six people have been killed, according to officials in the Democratic Republic of Congo, in a suicide bomb attack on a packed restaurant in the eastern city of Beni.

The bomber was prevented from entering the building by police but blew himself up at the entrance, killing himself and five others.

Additionally, 13 persons sustained injuries.

Officials blamed the attack on Saturday on the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), a militant organization thought to be affiliated with the so-called Islamic State (IS).

There has been no claim of responsibility for the incident thus yet.

When the device exploded, more than 30 people celebrated Christmas at the In Box restaurant, two witnesses told the AFP news agency.

The restaurant was reportedly packed with children and local leaders at the time.

"I was sitting there," Nicolas Ekila, a local radio host, told AFP. "A motorcycle was parked there. Suddenly, the motorcycle took off, followed by a tremendous roar."

Following the explosion, the military chief in charge of the country's eastern region advised inhabitants to return home for their protection.

In recent weeks, conflicts between the army and Islamists have often occurred in Beni.

Congolese and Ugandan military launched a coordinated operation against the ADF in November to put an end to a string of horrific attacks.

Ugandan authorities believe the organization is responsible for a spate of recent attacks around the country, including in the capital Kampala.

The violent group was founded in the 1990s by Ugandans dissatisfied with the government's treatment of Muslims. Still, it was driven out of western Uganda, and its survivors fled across the border to the Democratic Republic of Congo.

It established itself in eastern DR Congo and has been responsible for thousands of civilian deaths, including attacks on Christians, during the last decade.

IN MARCH, the US added the ADF to its list of terror groups related to IS. IS, for its side, asserts that the ADF is a subsidiary.