38 dead in DRC church attack blamed on ADF rebels
Armed with guns and machetes, the attackers stormed the church around midnight, targeting worshippers in prayer.
Local officials reported that the church attack injured at least 15 people and abducted several others. Witnesses reported gunfire and screams as worshippers fled in panic.
Since 2019, the ADF has claimed allegiance to the so-called Islamic State.
This is the deadliest attack reported in Ituri province in 2025, surpassing the February massacre in Samboko and Matolo villages that killed 23 civilians.
Islamic State-linked rebels launched a brutal attack on a Catholic church in Komanda, Ituri province, killing at least 34 worshippers during a night vigil. Armed with guns and machetes, suspected members of the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) stormed the church shortly after midnight.
The attack caused panic as people screamed and ran for their lives.
In response, civil society leader Dieudonné Duranthabo strongly condemned the killings. He also called for immediate military intervention to protect civilians from further violence.
The rebels did not stop at the church. They also set fire to nearby houses and shops. Following the attack, local officials reported discovering at least three charred bodies in burnt homes.
Tragically, most of the victims were young. Father Aimé Lokana Dhego confirmed that 31 of the dead were members of the Eucharistic Crusade, a Catholic youth prayer group.
In the wake of the massacre, volunteers began preparing a mass grave within the church grounds to bury the dead with dignity.
As fear spread, many survivors fled to Bunia and surrounding villages. Residents are now calling for urgent protection and humanitarian support. This attack marks one of the deadliest in Ituri province this year. ADF'S HISTORY AND MOTIVES
The ADF originated in Uganda in the late 1990s before relocating to eastern DR Congo in 2002 after military pressure.
Since then, the group has killed thousands, often targeting churches and schools in a campaign of terror.
The ADF is notorious for brutal attacks using machetes and firearms. In mid-2019, under Musa Baluku's leadership, the group pledged allegiance to ISIS and became the Islamic State's Central Africa Province (ISCAP), pursuing a caliphate in Central Africa without a formal political programme.
Although joint Ugandan-Congolese military operations began in 2021, they have failed to dismantle the group's command structure.
Eastern DR Congo remains volatile, with over 130 armed groups competing for control of territory and resources.
DR Congo's army described the church attack as a 'large-scale massacre' by the ADF.
Army spokesperson Jules Ngongo confirmed that rebel activity around Komanda remains a significant threat.
MONUSCO denounced the assault as 'revolting' and a clear breach of international humanitarian law.
UN officials have warned of a surge in violence across Ituri province this month, including threats to civilians.
Despite deploying Congolese troops, security forces have struggled to stop rebel advances in rural areas.
Local NGOs now call for urgent international intervention to safeguard communities and assist displaced populations.
Meanwhile, the search for the missing continues amid fears of repeat attacks on places of worship.
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