38 people were killed and 15 injured in a deadly attack on a Catholic church in Komanda, eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo.
The attack, which took place during a nighttime mass and is thought to have been carried out by Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) rebels with ties to ISIS, left victims shot or hacked to death.
Worshippers were caught off surprise when the ADF, which is notorious for its frequent atrocities in the area, invaded the church while they were praying.
The incident, which took place while Catholic Christians were attending a prayer vigil at the church organized by the Caritas charity, also resulted in the burning of several homes and businesses and the disappearance of other persons.
“The rebels mainly attacked Christians who were spending the night in the Catholic church,” said Christophe Munyanderu, a human rights activist present at the scene in Komanda. “Unfortunately, these people were killed with machetes or bullets.”
The spike in ADF attacks has been sharply denounced by the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission (MONUSCO), which has described it as a worrying trend of increasing violence.
Outrage and anxiety have been aroused by the attack, underscoring the region’s persistent security issues.
