38 Dead in Brutal Church Attack in Congo’s Ituri Province

Report by “Safarti Tarjuman” International News Desk

Komanda, Ituri Province, DRC — 38 people were killed and 15 others injured in a church massacre in Komanda, a city in the conflict-ridden Ituri province of eastern DRC. The Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) — an extremist rebel group linked to ISIL (ISIS) — are suspected of carrying out the attack.

The assault occurred during a Catholic prayer vigil at a local church affiliated with Caritas, a humanitarian organization. Eyewitnesses reported that the attackers used machetes and firearms to kill worshippers, while homes and shops nearby were set ablaze, leaving several victims burned beyond recognition.

“The rebels mainly attacked Christians who were spending the night in the Catholic church,” said Christophe Munyanderu, a human rights advocate who witnessed the aftermath. “These innocent people were slaughtered with machetes or gunned down inside a house of worship.”

Several surrounding homes and shops were also set ablaze, and charred bodies were later discovered among the ruins, deepening fears that the death toll may rise.

Local broadcaster Radio Okapi put the number of casualties at 43, noting that over 20 victims were killed with blades during the prayer vigil, while others perished in the fires that followed.

The ADF is a notorious militant group with reported ties to ISIL (ISIS). Originally rooted in Uganda, the group has expanded its operations into eastern Congo, where it has launched frequent attacks on civilians, often targeting vulnerable religious and rural communities.

Known for using brutal tactics, including machete massacres and abductions, the ADF has long evaded Congolese military operations and international intervention, despite being labeled a terrorist organization by the United States.

“What we know this morning is that there was an incursion by armed men with machetes into a church not far from Komanda,” said Jules Ngongo, a spokesperson for the Congolese army.

Local civil society groups and international agencies condemned the attack, calling for urgent humanitarian support, increased security in vulnerable areas, and renewed efforts to hold the perpetrators accountable.

A local leader told The Associated Press that victims were shot both inside and outside the church, while others were burned alive in their homes. At least three bodies were recovered charred, he confirmed.

The attack is the latest in a series of massacres that have plagued eastern Congo for decades, where the DRC government, United Nations peacekeepers, and regional partners have struggled to establish long-term stability.

Tensions are also rising with neighboring countries such as Rwanda and Uganda, who have been accused by some international observers of interfering in DRC’s internal conflicts.

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