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3w ago

ADF Rebels Kill Scores at Komanda Church as Security Forces Struggle to Respond

Civilian displacement toward Bunia reflects the acute security vacuum after Islamic State-linked fighters stormed a church, then burned homes.

People gather around the charred remains of a burned vehicle following a deadly attack in Komanda, Ituri province of eastern Congo, Sunday, July 27, 2025.
FILE - M23 rebels stand with their weapons in Kibumba, in the eastern of Democratic Republic of Congo, Dec. 23, 2022. (AP Photo/Moses Sawasawa, File)
FILE - People displaced by the fighting with M23 rebels make their way to the center of Goma, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Sunday, Jan. 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Moses Sawasawa, File)
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Overview

  • Predawn on July 27, ADF fighters armed with guns and machetes attacked a Catholic church in Komanda, killing worshippers and torching nearby houses and shops.
  • Fatality estimates vary widely with civil society reporting at least 21 deaths, the army confirming 10 and Radio Okapi citing up to 43 casualties.
  • The same night, rebels launched a raid on nearby Machongani village that left at least five dead and saw several villagers abducted into surrounding bush.
  • Survivors are fleeing toward Bunia as ADF elements remain active in the area, exploiting gaps in local security deployments.
  • Local leaders are demanding immediate deployment of FARDC or joint Congolese-Ugandan forces to contain the insurgents and restore order.