Islamic State-Backed Rebels Kill 38 in Congo Church Attack

Islamic State-backed Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) rebels launched a brutal attack on a Catholic church in Komanda, eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, during a night mass, killing between 21 and 38 people and injuring several others. The assailants used guns and machetes, targeting worshippers inside and outside the church, and also burned houses and shops nearby. Local officials and civil society leaders reported varying death tolls, with some confirming at least 21 dead and others reporting as many as 38, while the Congolese army confirmed 10 deaths. Several victims remain missing, and rescue teams continue to search the area. Human rights advocates and the United Nations Organisation Stabilisation Mission in DR Congo condemned the attack and the resurgence of violence in the region, highlighting ongoing security concerns linked to the ADF, a group that pledged allegiance to Islamic State in 2019 and has been responsible for numerous attacks in eastern Congo. The attack has been described as a cowardly assault on civilians in a place of worship, exacerbating the already volatile situation in Ituri province.