Summary
In eastern Congo's Ituri province, nearly 40 people died when the Allied Democratic Force, a rebel group linked to the Islamic State, attacked a Catholic church during a vigil. The attack, which took place in Komanda town, killed worshipers, including men, women, and children, and is part of ongoing violence in the region.
Key Facts
- Nearly 40 people were killed in an attack on a Catholic church in eastern Congo's Ituri province.
- The attack happened during a vigil and targeted worshipers, including women and children.
- The Allied Democratic Force (ADF), a rebel group with ties to the Islamic State, carried out the attack.
- In addition to the church attack, five more people were killed in a nearby village.
- The ADF group began in Uganda in the 1990s and now operates in the Congo-Uganda border area.
- Eastern Congo suffers from many conflicts, with over 100 armed groups involved, according to the UN.
- The Congolese and Ugandan armies have targeted the ADF, but the group's attacks on civilians continue.
- The attack increases the complex security situation in the region, drawing criticism of the Congolese government.
