Komanda: An attack on a church in Komanda, located in northeastern DR Congo, resulted in the deaths of more than 30 worshippers, as reported by local officials on Sunday. The attack was carried out by rebels from the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), a group that has pledged allegiance to the Islamic State (IS), during a Saturday night service. In addition to the 31 worshippers killed at the church, seven more bodies were discovered in the town, bringing the total number of fatalities to at least 35, marking the end of a months-long period of regional calm.
According to France24.com, the ADF, originally formed from Ugandan rebels and allied with Islamic State since 2019, targeted a Catholic church in the town of Komanda where worshippers had gathered for prayer. Residents, speaking to AFP from Bunia, the capital of Ituri province, recounted the harrowing experience. Dieudonne Katanabo, an elder from the Umoja neighborhood, reported hearing gunfire near the parish church around 9 pm local time. The aftermath revealed 35 bodies, highlighting the brutal impact of the attack.
Lieutenant Jules Ngongo, the army spokesman in Ituri, confirmed the attack to AFP but refrained from commenting on the death toll. He did, however, indicate that the attackers were believed to be ADF rebels. This incident breaks a period of relative peace in Ituri, a region that borders Uganda.
The ADF's history is marked by violence, having been responsible for the deaths of thousands of civilians in northeastern DRC. Despite joint military operations by Ugandan and Congolese forces, the group has continued its activities. The last major attack by the ADF occurred in February in Mambasa territory, resulting in 23 deaths. The town of Komanda serves as a commercial hub, connecting three other provinces—Tshopo, North Kivu, and Maniema.
The ongoing violence underscores the challenges faced by regional forces in curbing the ADF's influence, despite the "Shujaa" military operation launched by Kampala and Kinshasa at the end of 2021, which has yet to dislodge the group from its strongholds.