Congo Church Attack: At Least 34 Killed By Islamic State-Linked Rebels In Komanda

Congo Church Attack:  In a horrifying act of violence, at least 34 individuals were killed in the early morning hours of Sunday in an attack on a Catholic church compound in Komanda, a town in the volatile Ituri province of eastern Congo. The attack was perpetrated by Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) rebels, an Islamic State-affiliated rebel group, confirmed local authorities. The attack took place around 1:00 AM, targeting both the interior and exterior of the church premises. According to DieudonnéDuranthabo, a civil society coordinator in Komanda, several houses and shops in the area were also set ablaze during the rampage. 

Security forces and rescue teams are continuing to sift through the scene for survivors and other victims. "It is a shocking and cowardly attack on civilians in a place of worship," said a spokesperson for the Congolese army in Ituri province. Video footage from the scene shared online appeared to show burning structures and bodies on the floor of the church. Duranthabo condemned the violence in what he said was “a town where all the security officials are present.” He called for immediate military intervention, warning that “the enemy is still near our town.” "The bodies of the victims are still at the scene of the tragedy, and volunteers are preparing how to bury them in a mass grave that we are preparing in a compound of the Catholic church,” Duranthabo said.

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Increasing Violence in Ituri Province

Komanda is just one of several towns in eastern Congo that have been the target of ongoing attacks by armed rebel forces. At least five other people were killed in an earlier attack on the nearby village of Machongani. The ADF, which began as a Ugandan rebel force, has expanded its activities in the Democratic Republic of Congo over the last few years and swore allegiance to the Islamic State in 2019. The group has killed hundreds of civilians in the area over the last year. The United Nations and other international organizations have repeatedly warned about the deteriorating security situation in eastern DRC. 

In 2002, following military assaults by Ugandan forces, the group moved its activities to neighboring Congo and has since been responsible for the killings of thousands of civilians. In 2019, it pledged allegiance to the Islamic State. The Congolese army (FARDC) has long struggled to contain the group, especially amid renewed conflict involving the M23 rebel movement backed by neighboring Rwanda.

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The latest attack adds to growing concerns about the safety of civilians, especially in remote communities with limited access to military protection. Following Sunday’s massacre, the Congolese military has pledged to deploy additional troops in the area and conduct search operations to capture the perpetrators. Local authorities have also urged residents to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity.