Islamic State-affiliated militants launched a brutal attack on a Catholic church in eastern Congo early Sunday, killing at least 34 people and leaving behind scenes of devastation and mourning. The assault took place around 1 a.m. in the town of Komanda, located in Ituri province, where gunmen believed to be part of the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) stormed the church and set nearby homes and shops ablaze. Local civil society leader Dieudonne Duranthabo reported that the bodies of the victims remain at the site and volunteers are preparing a mass grave within the church compound. Video footage shared online reveals burned-out structures and bodies strewn across the church floor, with survivors weeping in shock and disbelief. The Congolese army confirmed 10 deaths, though other sources report as many as 43.

In a related attack, five more people were killed in the nearby village of Machongani, with several others abducted and taken into the bush by the armed rebels. The ADF, a Ugandan-born insurgent group with ties to the Islamic State since 2019, has long targeted civilians across eastern Congo’s borderlands. Despite the presence of security forces in Komanda, the rebels struck and retreated to their stronghold roughly 12 kilometers away. Duranthabo condemned the attack and demanded immediate military intervention, warning that the threat remains imminent. The Congolese army continues to struggle against the ADF, especially as the region faces broader instability fueled by Rwanda-backed M23 rebels. This latest massacre is part of a disturbing pattern of violence that has left thousands dead and underscores the ongoing failure to protect vulnerable communities in eastern Congo.

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SOURCE: Jihad Watch