DR Congo: Over 40 Killed in Church Attack by Islamic State-Linked Militants

More than 40 people were brutally killed in a nighttime attack on a church in Komanda, a town in northeastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo), in an assault blamed on the Islamic State-linked Allied Democratic Forces (ADF).

The victims, mostly worshippers attending a night vigil, included nine children, according to the United Nations peacekeeping mission (Monusco). Shops and local businesses were also looted and torched during the violent assault.

Monusco confirmed that 43 people—19 women, 15 men, and nine children—lost their lives in the massacre. The ADF, originally a Ugandan rebel group, is now based in DR Congo and has pledged allegiance to the Islamic State. It frequently targets civilians of all backgrounds.

“These targeted attacks against defenceless civilians, particularly in places of worship, are not only appalling but violate all standards of human rights and international humanitarian law,” said Vivian van de Perre, Monusco’s deputy chief.

According to the Congolese military, the victims were ambushed and killed with machetes, and many others sustained serious injuries. Military spokesman Lt Jules Ngongo described the attack as a desperate act by the militants to instill fear and distract from ongoing joint operations with Ugandan forces aimed at dismantling the ADF.

Authorities have called on the public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity. Despite combined military efforts since 2021, ADF attacks persist in the volatile Ituri province, a region rich in minerals and long plagued by conflict.

The UN recently condemned a broader resurgence of violence in the area, including earlier ADF attacks on July 8–9, which left 47 people dead.