On Sunday, attackers linked to the Islamic State targeted a Catholic church in the town of Komanda, located in the Ituri province of eastern Congo. The assault left at least 34 people dead, according to local civil society leaders.
Dieudonne Duranthabo, a coordinator for civil society in Komanda, shared with The Associated Press that the attackers arrived at the church around 1 a.m., killing those inside. In addition to the church, several houses and shops were also set ablaze during the attack.
“The bodies are still at the scene, and volunteers are preparing for mass burials in the church compound,” Duranthabo said.
Footage from the scene showed charred buildings and the bodies of victims lying inside the church. Onlookers, including those who recognized the deceased, expressed their grief while others stood frozen in disbelief.
At least five people were also killed in an earlier attack in a nearby village, Machongani. According to Lossa Dhekana, another civil society leader in the region, the attackers took several people into the bush, and their whereabouts remain unknown.
Both the church and village attacks are suspected to have been carried out by members of the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), a militia group known for using both firearms and machetes in their raids.
Earlier this month, the ADF carried out a brutal attack in Ituri that left dozens dead. The group, which has ties to the Islamic State, operates primarily in the border area between Congo and Uganda and frequently targets civilians.
In response to the Komanda attack, Lt. Jules Ngongo, a spokesperson for the Congolese army, confirmed at least 10 deaths. However, other reports, including one from U.N.-backed Radio Okapi, put the death toll as high as 43.
Duranthabo expressed frustration with the lack of security despite the presence of security forces in the area. “We need immediate military action. The threat is still close,” he warned.
Eastern Congo has long been plagued by violence from armed groups like the ADF, as well as rebel movements backed by neighboring Rwanda. The ADF, originally formed in Uganda in the 1990s due to discontent with President Yoweri Museveni’s government, moved its operations to Congo in the early 2000s after facing military pressure in Uganda. The group pledged allegiance to the Islamic State in 2019.
The Congolese military, often referred to as the FARDC, has struggled to combat these groups, especially with ongoing conflicts in the region, including the M23 rebellion supported by Rwanda.
