Over 40 killed in DR Congo church attack by Islamic state-affiliated group

More than 40 people, including nine children, were killed during a brutal attack on a church in the town of Komanda, north-eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, on Saturday night.

The victims were participating in a night vigil when they were ambushed by fighters from the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), an Islamist militant group affiliated with the Islamic State’s Central African Province.

According to the United Nations peacekeeping mission (MONUSCO) and local military officials, the attackers stormed the church compound, opening fire on the worshippers and setting nearby shops and businesses ablaze.

“This was a deliberate and calculated act of terror against innocent civilians,” a UN official stated. “Children were among the victims, which further underscores the barbarity of this assault.”

The ADF, originally formed in Uganda in the 1990s, has long claimed to fight against the Ugandan government’s alleged persecution of Muslims. However, the group has since relocated to eastern DR Congo, where it routinely carries out deadly attacks on civilians of all religious backgrounds, both in DR Congo and Uganda.

The ADF formally aligned with the Islamic State in recent years, becoming part of its Central African Province, which also includes Islamist fighters in Mozambique. According to UN data, nearly 90% of Islamic State’s global operations are now carried out by its African affiliates, reflecting a worrying trend in regional security dynamics.

Local authorities have launched a manhunt for the perpetrators and called for urgent international assistance to prevent further bloodshed in the region.

The attack in Komanda marks one of the deadliest in recent months and highlights the persistent threat of extremist violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s Ituri province.