Dozens Killed in Brutal Church Attack by Suspected ISIS-Linked Rebels in East Congo

A horrific assault by suspected Islamic State-backed rebels on a Catholic church in eastern Congo has left at least 34 people dead, according to local civil society leaders. The brutal attack, which occurred on Sunday in Komanda town, Ituri province, around 1 a.m., also saw attackers torching several houses and shops.

Dieudonne Duranthabo, a civil society coordinator, confirmed that victims’ bodies remained at the scene as volunteers prepared a mass grave within the church compound. Disturbing online footage reportedly depicted burning structures and numerous bodies inside the church, with wailing relatives identifying some of the deceased.

This devastating incident follows an earlier assault on the nearby village of Machongani, where at least five more people were killed and several abducted. Both attacks are attributed to the Allied Democratic Force (ADF), an armed group with ties to the Islamic State, notorious for its targeting of civilians in the volatile border region between Uganda and Congo.

While a Congolese army spokesperson confirmed at least 10 fatalities in the church attack, U.N.-backed Radio Okapi cited security sources reporting a higher toll of 43 deaths. The attackers reportedly fled before security forces arrived. Duranthabo condemned the violence in a town supposedly under security control, urging immediate military intervention as the “enemy is still near our town.”

Eastern Congo continues to suffer from relentless violence perpetrated by various armed groups, including the ADF, which pledged allegiance to the Islamic State in 2019 and has been responsible for thousands of civilian deaths. The Congolese army struggles to contain the group amidst ongoing regional conflicts.

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