A brutal attack by suspected Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) rebels in the town of Komanda, northeastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), claimed the lives of at least 35 people late Sunday night, according to local community sources. The assault, which shattered a period of relative calm in the region, specifically targeted a Catholic church during evening prayers.
The attack occurred around 9 p.m. local time. Residents reported hearing heavy gunfire near the Blessed Anuarite parish church in Komanda, located in Ituri province. Dieudonné Katanabo, a local community elder, stated that 35 bodies were found in the vicinity of the church. The violence appeared to be aimed primarily at members of the Eucharistic Crusade movement, a Catholic youth group.
Father Aimé Lokana Dhego, the parish priest, confirmed that 31 of the deceased were part of this religious movement. He added that six individuals sustained serious injuries and several young people were abducted during the attack. Their current whereabouts remain unknown. In addition to the fatalities at the church, seven more bodies were reportedly discovered elsewhere in the town.
Another local civil society representative, Christophe Munyanderu, who coordinates the Convention for the Respect of Human Rights, also attributed the incident to the ADF and reported a slightly higher provisional death toll of 38. Security forces later confirmed the assault and stated that the perpetrators are believed to belong to the ADF, a group originally composed of Ugandan insurgents that pledged allegiance to the Islamic State in 2019.
Komanda, a key commercial hub in Irumu territory, serves as a transit point linking the provinces of Tshopo, North Kivu, and Maniema. The town’s strategic location has made it increasingly vulnerable to militant activity.
The ADF has been responsible for thousands of civilian deaths in northeastern DRC in recent years. The group frequently engages in looting, kidnapping, and indiscriminate violence despite ongoing military efforts to suppress its operations. Since late 2021, a joint military campaign named “Operation Shujaa” has been underway, involving both Congolese and Ugandan forces. However, this operation has thus far failed to eliminate the threat posed by the ADF.
Prior to this incident, the last major ADF-linked attack in the region occurred in February, resulting in the deaths of 23 people in Mambasa territory. Sunday’s attack has reignited concerns about the group’s persistent presence and the limited effectiveness of current counter-insurgency efforts.
The situation in northeastern DRC remains fragile, with armed groups like the ADF continuing to exploit regional instability and weak governance structures. As the search continues for those kidnapped in the latest attack, local communities are once again left mourning and calling for greater protection.
