• Over 40 people killed in a church attack in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.
• The assault, conducted by the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), involved both gunfire and machetes.
• No fewer than 15 individuals were reported injured, with many still missing.
• ISIL has claimed responsibility, framing the attack as part of their ongoing operations in Africa.
• Local leaders demand military intervention amidst increasing attacks by armed groups in the area.

At least 34 to 43 individuals were killed during a brutal attack on a church in the town of Komanda, eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, attributed to the Islamic State-linked Allied Democratic Forces (ADF). Reports vary, but Dieudonne Duranthabo, a civil society coordinator, stated that bodies were still at the scene while preparations were made for mass burials. The attack occurred around 1 a.m. as worshippers were attending an overnight prayer vigil, with many victims shot or attacked with machetes, according to civil leaders and multiple sources from the region.

The assailants reportedly burned several houses and shops near the church during their attack. Eyewitnesses revealed that the chaos led to many injuries and that individuals are still missing. Reports indicate differing casualty figures, with some local sources citing numbers as high as 66 fatalities from a series of attacks, reflecting the region's ongoing violence attributed to the ADF. Various humanitarian organizations and civil leaders have condemned the failure of security operations in the area, calling for immediate military intervention.

The attack has been classified by various reports as a “large-scale massacre” perpetrated in the wake of recent military operations against the ADF. The group, which originally formed in Uganda, has carried out continuous violent campaigns in eastern Congo for years, culminating in their pledge of allegiance to ISIL in 2019. Authorities have struggled to provide adequate security in the region, which has been destabilized by both the ADF and other insurgent groups like the M23, leading to a critical humanitarian situation.