The United Nations mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) has strongly condemned a brutal attack by the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) that killed at least 49 civilians over the weekend in the eastern town of Komanda, Ituri province.
According to local reports cited by MONUSCO, the victims—among them nine children—were mostly worshippers attending a nighttime church service when they were killed with bladed weapons. Several people were abducted, and homes and shops were set ablaze.
The ADF, a Ugandan-origin armed group affiliated with the so-called Islamic State, has intensified its operations in eastern DRC in recent years. This latest assault follows a string of deadly attacks by the group earlier in July that claimed the lives of 82 civilians across Ituri and North Kivu provinces.
Viviane Van De Peer, acting head of MONUSCO and Deputy Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General, described the attack as a “deliberate massacre of innocent civilians in a place of worship,” calling it a flagrant violation of international humanitarian law and human rights norms.
MONUSCO reiterated Secretary-General António Guterres’s call for all foreign armed groups to lay down their weapons unconditionally and return to their countries of origin.
The UN mission pledged to continue supporting local authorities in responding to the crisis, including organizing funerals for the victims and providing medical assistance to the injured. MONUSCO has also increased its security presence in and around Komanda to help deter further violence.
“We will work relentlessly alongside Congolese authorities to protect civilians, de-escalate tensions, and support efforts to stabilize conflict-affected areas,” the mission said in a statement.
