At least 35 killed in rebel attack in northeast DR Congo

Bunia: At least 35 people were killed on Sunday evening in an attack attributed to the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) in the town of Komanda, northeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), ending a period of relative calm in the conflict-ridden region of Ituri, local sources told AFP.

The ADF, a militant group originally formed by former Ugandan rebels and which pledged allegiance to the Islamic State in 2019, reportedly targeted a Catholic church where worshippers had gathered for evening prayers.

“Last night around 9pm, we heard gunfire near the parish church... so far we have seen 35 bodies,” said Dieudonné Katanabo, an elder in the Umoja neighbourhood of Komanda.

Father Aimé Lokana Dhego, parish priest of the Blessed Anuarite parish in Komanda, confirmed that 31 of those killed were members of the Eucharistic Crusade movement. “Six others were seriously injured, and several young people were kidnapped -- we have no news of them yet,” he said. An additional seven bodies were later discovered in the town, he added.

The local NGO Convention for the Respect of Human Rights gave a provisional death toll of 38, attributing the assault to ADF rebels. The Congolese army has not confirmed an official toll but did verify the attack. “The enemy is believed to have been identified among ADF rebels,” said Lieutenant Jules Ngongo, army spokesman in Ituri.

The massacre marks the deadliest attack in the region since February, when 23 people were killed in nearby Mambasa territory. The town of Komanda, located in Irumu territory, serves as a key commercial junction linking the provinces of Tshopo, North Kivu, and Maniema.

Despite a joint military operation launched by Uganda and the DRC in late 2021 -- known as Operation Shujaa -- the ADF has continued to carry out deadly raids, looting, and killings across northeastern Congo. The group, predominantly made up of Ugandan Muslims, has killed thousands of civilians over the years and remains one of the most active and dangerous armed groups operating in the region.

Sunday’s attack underscores the persistent instability and security challenges faced by communities in Ituri province, despite continued military pressure on armed groups operating near the border with Uganda.