At least 38 worshippers were killed in a brutal attack on a Catholic church in Komanda, a town in northeastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), local officials confirmed on Sunday.
The assault occurred during a Saturday night prayer service when militants from the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), a rebel group affiliated with the Islamic State (IS), stormed the church around 1 a.m., opening fire on congregants.
According to local sources, 31 victims were killed inside the church. Several nearby homes and shops were also set ablaze in the coordinated attack.
Dieudonné Duranthabo, a civil society coordinator in Komanda, said, “The bodies of the victims are still at the scene of the tragedy, and volunteers are preparing a mass grave within the church compound.”
In a separate incident earlier that night, five civilians were killed in the nearby village of Machongani.
A search operation is underway to locate missing persons and assess the full extent of the damage.
This is not the first time churches in eastern Congo have been targeted by ADF militants. In 2023, the group carried out a deadly bombing at a Protestant church, killing 10 and injuring dozens.
The latest massacre highlights the ongoing security crisis in eastern DRC, where armed groups continue to operate with impunity despite military efforts to restore order.
