logo
At Least 21 Christians Killed in Church Attack by ISIS-Affiliated Jihadists in Congo

At Least 21 Christians Killed in Church Attack by ISIS-Affiliated Jihadists in Congo

Cedar News2 days ago
At least 21 Christians have been killed in a brutal attack on a church in the Democratic Republic of Congo, carried out by a jihadist group affiliated with the so-called Islamic State.
The assault, which took place during a Sunday service, left dozens injured and has shocked the local community. According to officials, the attackers targeted the congregation with explosives and gunfire before fleeing the scene.
The group responsible is believed to be the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), a notorious militia that has pledged allegiance to ISIS and has been behind numerous atrocities in the region.
Authorities and humanitarian groups have condemned the attack, calling it a heinous act of religious persecution. Efforts are underway to provide aid to survivors and to secure the area from further violence.
The United Nations and other international organizations have called for increased protection of civilians and a concerted effort to dismantle jihadist networks operating in the region.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Iraq's prime minister seeks closer US ties while keeping armed groups at bay
Iraq's prime minister seeks closer US ties while keeping armed groups at bay

Nahar Net

timean hour ago

  • Nahar Net

Iraq's prime minister seeks closer US ties while keeping armed groups at bay

by Naharnet Newsdesk 29 July 2025, 15:29 The prime minister of Iraq has kept his country on the sidelines as military conflicts raged nearby for almost two years. This required balancing Iraq's relations with two countries vital to his power and enemies with each other: the U.S. and Iran. The feat became especially difficult last month when war broke out between Israel, a U.S. ally, and Iran — and the U.S. struck Iranian nuclear sites. Mohammed Shia al-Sudani said he used a mix of political and military pressure to stop armed groups aligned with Iran from entering the fray. In an exclusive interview with The Associated Press, Al-Sudani explains how he did this, how he plans to keep these groups in check going forward and — as he seeks a second term — why he wants to get closer to the Trump administration, even as he maintains strong ties to Iran-backed political parties that helped propel him to power in 2022. Staying on the sidelines as Israel and Iran traded blows After Israel launched airstrikes on Iran and it responded by firing missiles at Tel Aviv, armed groups in Iraq attempted to launch missiles and drones toward Israel and at bases in Iraq housing U.S. troops, al-Sudani said. But they were thwarted 29 times by Iraqi government "security operations" that he did not detail. "We know that the (Israeli) government had a policy — and still does — of expanding the war in the region," al-Sudani said. "Therefore, we made sure not to give any justification to any party to target Iraq." Al-Sudani said his government also reached out to leaders in Iran "to urge them toward calm and to make room for dialogue and a return to negotiations." The future of the US presence in Iraq is in flux The U.S. and Iraq last year announced an agreement to wrap up the mission of an American-led coalition in Iraq fighting the Islamic State — and in March al-Sudani announced that the head of IS in Iraq and Syria had been killed in a joint Iraqi-U.S. operation. The first phase of the coalition's drawdown was supposed to be completed by September 2025, but there has been little sign of it happening. Al-Sudani said the U.S. and Iraq will meet by the end of the year to "arrange the bilateral security relationship" between the two countries. He also hopes to secure U.S. economic investment — in oil and gas, and also artificial intelligence — which he said would contribute to regional security and make "the two countries great together." A variety of militias sprung up in Iraq in the years after the 2003 U.S. invasion that toppled former autocratic leader Saddam Hussein. And since the war between Israel and Hamas began in October 2023, sparking regionwide conflicts, an array of pro-Iran armed factions have periodically launched strikes on bases housing U.S. troops. Al-Sudani said the presence of the coalition forces had provided a "justification" for Iraqi groups to arm themselves, but that once the coalition withdrawal is complete, "there will be no need or no justification for any group to carry weapons outside the scope of the state." The fate of Iran-backed militias in Iraq is unclear One of the most complicated issues for al-Sudani is how to handle the Popular Mobilization Forces, a coalition of mostly Shiite, Iran-backed militias that formed to fight IS. This coalition was formally placed under the control of the Iraqi military in 2016, although in practice it still operates with significant autonomy. The Iraqi parliament is discussing legislation that would solidify the relationship between the military and the PMF, drawing objections from Washington. The State Department said in a statement last week that the legislation "would institutionalize Iranian influence and armed terrorist groups undermining Iraq's sovereignty." Al-Sudani defended the proposed legislation, saying it's part of an effort to ensure that arms are controlled by the state. "Security agencies must operate under laws and be subject to them and be held accountable," he said. Indications of weak state authority In recent weeks, a series of drone attacks have targeted oil facilities in northern Iraq's semiautonomous Kurdish region. Kurdish regional authorities accused groups in the PMF of carrying out the attacks. Authorities in Baghdad disputed this, but haven't assigned blame. Al-Sudani called the attacks a "terrorist act" and said his government is working with Kurdish authorities and coalition forces to identify those responsible and hold them accountable. Just as the drone attacks have called into question Baghdad's control over armed groups, so has the case of Israeli-Russian researcher Elizabeth Tsurkov, who went missing in Iraq in 2023. Her family believes she is being held by the Iraqi militia Kataib Hezbollah, and there have reportedly been U.S.-mediated negotiations to negotiate her release. Al-Sudani did not name the group responsible for Tsurkov's kidnapping, but he pushed back against the idea that his government has not made serious efforts to free her. He said his government has a team dedicated to finding her. "We do not negotiate with gangs and kidnappers," he said, but the team has been in discussions with political factions that might be able to help locate her. Rebuilding relations with Damascus Relations between Iraq and the new government in Syria have been tenuous since the fall of former President Bashar Assad in December, after a lightning offensive led by Sunni Islamist insurgents. Syria's interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa was formerly known by the nom de guerre Abu Mohammed al-Golani. He once joined the ranks of al-Qaida insurgents battling U.S. forces in Iraq after the U.S.-led invasion in 2003. Al-Sharaa still faces a warrant for his arrest on terrorism charges in Iraq. Al-Sharaa has since broken with al-Qaida and has fought against the Islamic State. Al-Sudani said his government is coordinating with the new Syrian government, particularly on security matters. "We and the administration in Syria certainly have a common enemy, ISIS, which is clearly and openly present inside Syria," he said. Al-Sudani said his government has warned the Syrians against the mistakes that occurred in Iraq after Saddam's fall, when the ensuing security vacuum spawned years of sectarian violence and the rise of armed extremist groups. In recent weeks, sectarian violence in Syria has shaken the country's fragile postwar recovery. Al-Sudani called for Syria's current leadership to pursue a "comprehensive political process that includes all components and communities." "We do not want Syria to be divided," he said. "This is unacceptable and we certainly do not want any foreign presence on Syrian soil," apparently alluding to Israel's incursions into southern Syria.

Over 40 killed in rebel attack in northeast DR Congo
Over 40 killed in rebel attack in northeast DR Congo

L'Orient-Le Jour

time19 hours ago

  • L'Orient-Le Jour

Over 40 killed in rebel attack in northeast DR Congo

More than 40 people were killed Sunday in an attack by Allied Democratic Forces rebels in northeastern DR Congo, ending a months-long period of regional calm, the U.N. mission and Congolese military said. The ADF, which pledged allegiance to Islamic State in 2019, raided a Catholic church in the town of Komanda where worshippers were gathered for prayer, residents told AFP by telephone from Bunia, capital of Ituri province. The attack killed 43 people including nine children, according to the U.N. peacekeeping mission in the country. "These targeted attacks on defenseless civilians, especially in places of worship, are not only revolting but also contrary to all norms of human rights and international humanitarian law," said Vivian van de Perre, deputy chief of the peacekeeping mission. The Congolese army denounced the "large-scale massacre", adding that "around forty civilians were surprised and killed with machetes and several others were seriously injured". It said the ADF had decided to take "revenge on defenseless peaceful populations to spread terror". Local sources had reported an earlier death toll of at least 35. Lieutenant Jules Ngongo, army spokesman in Ituri, did not comment on the toll but confirmed the attack to AFP, saying "the enemy is believed to have been identified among ADF" rebels. The bloodshed comes after months of calm in the region of Ituri, bordering Uganda. The last major attack by the ADF was in February, leaving 23 dead in Mambasa territory. The town of Komanda in Irumu territory is a commercial hub linking three other provinces — Tshopo, North Kivu, and Maniema. The ADF, originally Ugandan rebels who are predominantly Muslim, have killed thousands of civilians and ramped up looting and killing in northeastern DRC despite the deployment of the Ugandan army alongside Congolese armed forces in the area. At the end of 2021, Kampala and Kinshasa launched a joint military operation against the ADF, dubbed "Shujaa", which has so far been unable to dislodge the group. The Congolese army promised to continue tracking the ADF and called on the population "to remain extra vigilant and report any suspicious presence to the defense and security forces".

Attack on DR Congo church kills over 30 people: AFP
Attack on DR Congo church kills over 30 people: AFP

LBCI

time2 days ago

  • LBCI

Attack on DR Congo church kills over 30 people: AFP

An attack on a church blamed on Islamist rebels left more than 30 people dead Sunday in northeastern DR Congo, local officials told AFP. The sources said at least 34 people were killed in the assault, which they blamed on Allied Democratic Forces, comprising former Ugandan rebels. The attack targeted a Catholic church in the town of Komanda, where worshippers had gathered for prayer, local sources told AFP by telephone from Bunia, capital of Ituri province. AFP

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store