Massacre at Komanda: ADF Church Attack Sparks Global Condemnation and Human Rights Outcry

Author: Aamnah Fatima Khan

August 1, 2025

HRRC strongly condemns the barbaric attack on worshippers in Komanda as a blatant violation of international humanitarian law and a grave assault on the sanctity of human life. We urge immediate accountability and protection for all civilians targeted by such atrocities.

Civilians bury the remains of people killed in an attack carried out by Islamic State-affiliated Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) at a church, in Komanda near Ituri's provincial capital of Bunia, northeastern Democratic Republic of Congo, July 28, 2025. [Image credit: REUTERS/Stringer]

At least 49 civilians, including nine children, were brutally killed during a night vigil at a Catholic church in Komanda, a town in the Ituri province of eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Targeting worshippers and kidnapping many others, the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), an armed organization with ties to the Islamic State and originating in Uganda, launched an assault using machetes and firearms. Additionally, nearby residences and shops were burned.

The attack, which happened on July 27, was one of several brutal ADF attacks that have afflicted the area in the last 30 days. At least 82 civilians were killed by the group in the regions of Ituri and North Kivu earlier this month. These fatal campaigns highlight the ongoing inability to safeguard civilians in conflict zones and the escalating humanitarian disaster.

MONUSCO, the United Nations peacekeeping mission in DRC, condemned the killings as “heinous acts of violence” and “a deliberate massacre of innocent civilians in a place of worship,” emphasizing that such actions represent “serious violations of international humanitarian law and infringements on human rights”. "These targeted attacks against defenceless civilians, especially in places of worship, are not only appalling, but also in violation of all human rights standards," stated MONUSCO Acting Head Viviane Van de Perre.

The mission has pledged to continue working “tirelessly” with Congolese authorities to provide medical care to the wounded, organize burials for victims, and intensify security efforts around Komanda to prevent future violence. In addition, Pope Leo and the Vatican expressed their sorrow by naming the victims "martyrs," praying for them, and urging peace and reconciliation in the area. The attack was described as a "horrific" and "large-scale massacre" by the Congolese government, which further connected it to reprisals for recent military actions against the ADF.

The timing of the ADF's comeback raises questions about the efficacy of the DRC government's efforts to stabilise the eastern region, most notably through peace agreements with Rwanda and the M23 rebel group. Human rights organisations caution that atrocities like the Komanda massacre will persist in eastern Congo in the absence of strong international assistance and ongoing accountability procedures. The ADF seems emboldened, taking advantage of regional instability and poor government to continue its campaign of terror. The ADF has been under UN sanctions since 2014 for its systematic violations against civilians.

---

Glossary 

• Accountability: Being responsible for your actions and accepting the consequences

• Afflicted: cause pain, torture, or trouble to someone 

• Appalling: Very shocking and terrible

• Atrocities: Extremely cruel and violent acts

• Barbaric: Very cruel and inhumane

• Blatant: Very obvious and done without shame

• Emboldened: Made confident or brave to do something, often something bad

• Heinious: Evil, wicked, or hateful

• Infringements: Actions that break rules, laws, or rights

• Machetes: Large, heavy knives used as weapons or tools

• Martyrs: People who are killed because of their beliefs

• Massacre: The killing of many people in a cruel and violent way

• Pledged: Promised to do something

• Reconciliation: The act of making peace after a conflict or disagreement

• Reprisals: Acts of revenge or punishment for something done

• Sanctity: The quality of being very important, sacred, or holy

• Sanctions: Penalties or restrictions imposed by one country on another to enforce rules, norms, or laws

• Violation: Breaking of a rule, law, or agreement

---

Sources

1. https://europeantimes.news/2025/07/not-condemning-a-fatal-attack-against-the-faithful-in-dr-congo/ 

2. https://news.un.org/en/story/2025/07/1165511 

3. https://africa.dailynewsegypt.com/un-condemns-deadly-church-attack-in-eastern-dr-congo/ 

4. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/7/30/is-isil-a-growing-threat-in-the-dr-congo-and-east-africa 

5. https://europeantimes.news/2025/07/not-condemning-a-fatal-attack-against-the-faithful-in-dr-congo/ 

6. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/7/28/isil-claims-responsibility-for-deadly-church-attack-in-eastern-dr-congo 

7. https://monusco.unmissions.org/sites/default/files/pr_monusco_condemns_the_adf_armed_groups_attack_that_claimed_the_lives_of_43_civilians_in_komanda_and_intensifies_protection_efforts_in_itur.pdf