Rebels killed 38 people during an attack on a church in Komanda, a town in north-eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, early Sunday morning. Local authorities confirmed the deaths and said 15 others suffered injuries. Several more people are still missing.
Officials believe members of the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), a group linked to Islamic State, carried out the assault. Witnesses said the attackers used both guns and machetes.
Jean Kato, a city official, said the rebels stormed the church while people were attending an overnight Catholic mass.
Human rights activist Christophe Munyanderu was in the area during the attack. He said residents heard gunfire during the night but thought it was caused by thieves.
“The attackers mainly targeted Christians who had gathered in the church,” he said. “They killed many using bullets or machetes.”
The United Nations mission in Congo (MONUSCO) condemned the recent rise in violence in the region, including this attack.
