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29 Jul 2025, Tue

Dozens Killed in Congo Church Attack by IS-Linked Fighters

By Peter Onyekachukwu

Dieudonne Duranthabo, a civil society coordinator in Komanda, told the Associated Press that more bodies could still be discovered after an overnight attack by Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) fighters linked to Islamic State in North-Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.

“More than 21 people were shot dead inside and outside the church and we have recorded at least three charred bodies and several houses burned. But the search is continuing,” Duranthabo said.

Father Aime Lokana Dhego, a local priest, told AFP that at least 31 members of the Eucharistic Crusade movement were among the dead, with six others seriously injured. “Some young people were kidnapped; we have no news of them,” he added, noting that seven more bodies were found elsewhere in the town.

The attack happened during a night vigil at a church in Komanda town. Witnesses said about 20 worshippers were among those killed, while shops and businesses nearby were looted and set ablaze.

The UN-sponsored Radio Okapi reported that 43 people were killed. However, a spokesperson for the army confirmed only 10 deaths.

The ADF, which began in Uganda in the 1990s accusing the government of persecuting Muslims, is now based in DR Congo’s Ituri province where it often targets civilians of all religions. Despite Ugandan troops being invited in 2021 to help fight the group, attacks have continued.

Komanda lies in mineral-rich Ituri, a province long plagued by deadly armed conflicts.