More than 40 killed in ADF rebel attack on church in northeastern DR Congo

More than 40 people were killed on Sunday in a brutal attack by Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) rebels in northeastern Democratic Republic of Congo, ending several months of relative calm in the region, according to the UN peacekeeping mission and the Congolese military.

The attack took place in the town of Komanda in Ituri province, where ADF fighters stormed a Catholic church during a prayer gathering, killing 43 people, including nine children, residents and officials said.

Vivian van de Perre, deputy chief of the UN mission in DRC, condemned the violence, calling the attack on civilians in a place of worship “revolting” and a violation of human rights and international humanitarian law.

The Congolese army described the incident as a “large-scale massacre”, stating that around 40 civilians were killed with machetes and many others were severely wounded. It accused the ADF of targeting peaceful communities in an act of revenge and terror.

Lieutenant Jules Ngongo, army spokesman in Ituri, confirmed the attack and said the perpetrators were believed to be members of the ADF, a group that pledged allegiance to the Islamic State in 2019.

The town of Komanda, a key commercial center connecting Ituri with the provinces of Tshopo, North Kivu, and Maniema, has not seen such violence in recent months. The last major ADF attack in the area was in February, when 23 people were killed in Mambasa territory.

Originally Ugandan Muslim rebels, the ADF have been responsible for thousands of civilian deaths in northeastern DRC. Despite a joint military operation launched by Uganda and DRC in late 2021, named “Shujaa”, the group remains active and dangerous.

The Congolese military vowed to continue its operations against the ADF and urged local communities to stay vigilant and report any suspicious activity.