The Islamic State (ISIL) has claimed responsibility for a deadly attack on the remote Komanda town in eastern DRC. The attack claimed the lives of over 43 worshippers, including women and children. The Komanda Attack, allegedly orchestrated by fighters from the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), has sent shockwaves across the region, reigniting deep concerns over the DRC’s spiralling security crisis.
The victims had gathered in a church for a night vigil, a sacred space of prayer and spiritual reflection, only for it to be turned into a graveyard by a rampaging militia known for its brutality. Reports indicate that the attackers not only slaughtered the congregants but also looted local businesses and set fire to homes and shops, compounding the devastation and economic loss in an already impoverished area.
This is not an isolated incident. Rather, the Komanda Attack fits a chilling pattern of violence meted out by the ADF, an extremist group with alleged links to the Islamic State Central Africa Province (ISCAP). The incident is yet another bloody chapter in a long-running conflict that has cost the DRC millions of lives and continues to destabilise the wider Great Lakes region.
A Scene of Horror
Survivors of the Komanda Attack recall screams piercing the air, gunfire rattling through the night, and flames engulfing buildings as the militants descended on the worshippers. Children reportedly hid under pews, some of them not spared. Local officials confirmed that over 40 people were killed, with dozens injured and several others missing. The death toll is expected to rise as search efforts continue in the charred remains of the church and surrounding buildings.
According to Pastor Léon Kasereka, who narrowly escaped the massacre, “It was a night of terror. We came together to pray, to seek peace, and instead, we were met with death. They showed no mercy.”
Reactions of Outrage
Leaders across the DRC and beyond reacted with outrage and heartbreak. President Félix Tshisekedi condemned the attack as a “barbaric act of terror,” pledging that “no effort will be spared in bringing the perpetrators to justice.” He also called for greater international cooperation in dismantling the networks that support and fund the ADF insurgency.
DRC government spokesperson Patrick Muyaya emphasised that “targeting civilians in places of worship is a grotesque violation of every moral and legal principle,” adding that the attack should “spark collective outrage not only in DRC but across Africa and the global community.”
The African Union Chairperson, Moussa Faki Mahamat, tweeted: “I condemn in the strongest terms the horrific Komanda Attack. Sacred places must never be theatres of violence. My condolences to the families of the victims and the people of the DRC.”
Shortly after the Komanda Attack, the Islamic State (ISIL) claimed responsibility through its propaganda channels, marking yet another instance of the group’s growing influence in Central and East Africa. In a statement released via its affiliated Amaq News Agency, ISIL asserted that its fighters had targeted what it described as “a Christian gathering,” and boasted about the number of casualties inflicted. While the claim has yet to be independently verified, it aligns with a broader pattern where ISIL takes credit for atrocities committed by the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), its local affiliate in the region.
This claim of responsibility reinforces long-standing fears that the ADF, once a Ugandan-origin insurgency, has fully morphed into an operational wing of the Islamic State Central Africa Province (ISCAP). Analysts have noted that, since 2019, the ADF’s tactics, propaganda, and recruitment methods have increasingly mirrored those of ISIL, including the deliberate targeting of civilians, use of improvised explosive devices (IEDs), and the release of gruesome execution videos.
The ISIL claim not only underscores the global dimension of the threat facing the DRC but also complicates regional counterterrorism efforts. It signals the extent to which local grievances have been hijacked by transnational jihadist networks, raising the stakes for both Congolese authorities and their international partners. The involvement of a globally recognised terrorist organisation adds urgency to the need for a coordinated and intelligence-driven response that addresses both the ideological and structural drivers of extremism in the region.
What Is The Genesis Of The Komanda Attack?
The Allied Democratic Forces originated in Uganda in the 1990s as a rebellion against President Yoweri Museveni’s government. Driven underground by military crackdowns, the group re-emerged in eastern DRC, where weak governance, porous borders, and local grievances provided fertile ground for its growth.
Since 2013, the ADF has increasingly shifted toward extremism, allegedly pledging allegiance to the Islamic State and adopting tactics characteristic of jihadist groups, including mass killings, beheadings, and the use of child soldiers. In 2021, the United States officially designated the ADF as a foreign terrorist organisation linked to ISCAP.
The Komanda Attack mirrors earlier atrocities such as the 2021 Boga and Tchabi massacres in Ituri and Beni territories, where dozens of civilians were killed in similar night raids on villages and churches. The UN has documented over 2,000 civilian deaths attributed to ADF violence since 2017, and the real numbers could be significantly higher due to underreporting in remote regions.
Government and Military Response Have Not Always Worked
Despite several military campaigns, including joint operations with Ugandan forces under Operation Shujaa, the DRC government has struggled to neutralise the ADF. Following the Komanda Attack, DRC military officials vowed an “immediate and robust response,” deploying additional troops to Ituri and promising aerial surveillance to track militia movement.
However, residents remain sceptical. Civil society groups have long criticised the DRC’s response as reactive, fragmented, and marred by corruption. Even under a prolonged state of siege declared in 2021, meant to prioritise military authority in Ituri and North Kivu, attacks have persisted.
“The government shows up after the blood has been spilt,” said Pascal Ngongo, a youth leader in Komanda. “What we need is prevention, intelligence, and community protection, not empty declarations.”
Humanitarian Toll and Displacement
The Komanda Attack has further exacerbated an already dire humanitarian crisis. According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), the Ituri and North Kivu provinces host over 1.7 million internally displaced persons. Attacks like the one in Komanda disrupt aid access, close schools and health centres, and worsen trauma in communities scarred by decades of violence.
UNICEF expressed grave concern over the psychological impact of the attack on children, many of whom witnessed their parents or siblings slaughtered. “These children will carry invisible wounds for life if urgent psychosocial support is not provided,” said Grant Leaity, UNICEF’s representative in the DRC.
The ADF’s operations are no longer confined to the DRC alone. The group has executed attacks in Uganda, most recently in Kasese district in June 2023, where students were killed and a school was torched. With growing evidence of transnational financing, arms trafficking, and online recruitment, analysts warn that ADF’s reach could extend further if unchecked.
“The Komanda Attack is not just a DRC problem, it’s a regional security threat,” said Paul Nantulya, a security analyst at the Africa Centre for Strategic Studies. “Failure to dismantle the ADF could embolden similar groups in fragile states across Africa.”
DRC Should Explore Pathways To Sustainable Peace
The Komanda Attack should serve as a sobering reminder that military solutions alone are insufficient to address the complex and protracted crisis in eastern DRC. Sustainable peace demands a comprehensive, multi-dimensional approach that targets not just the symptoms, but the root causes of instability. One of the most critical steps is strengthening governance and the justice system. The Congolese state must prioritise the rule of law by empowering local judicial institutions and implementing anti-corruption reforms. Ensuring that perpetrators of violence are arrested, tried, and convicted will send a powerful message that impunity is no longer tolerated.
Equally important is the expansion of intelligence and early warning systems. This means forging stronger collaboration between the government, local communities, civil society organisations, and international partners to establish mechanisms capable of detecting threats before they escalate into full-blown attacks. Proactive intelligence gathering and community-based alert systems could prove lifesaving in areas vulnerable to extremist violence.
A robust Disarmament, Demobilisation, and Reintegration (DDR) program must also be relaunched to absorb former combatants into society. Such a strategy should offer realistic pathways to civilian life through education, vocational training, and psychosocial support, ultimately helping to break the cycle of violence that fuels recruitment into armed groups.
In parallel, the DRC must tighten its border controls and deepen regional cooperation. Effective intelligence-sharing and coordinated patrols with neighbours such as Uganda and Rwanda are essential to dismantling the cross-border networks that enable the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) to operate with impunity. This regional approach can help cut off supply routes, funding channels, and sanctuaries that insurgents rely on.
Additionally, it is vital to ensure the protection of religious and civilian spaces. Churches, schools, and health facilities should be formally designated as protected zones, with increased surveillance and a visible security presence to deter attacks and reassure communities.
Lastly, any durable peace solution must address the root causes of conflict, especially land disputes, ethnic rivalries, and entrenched poverty. These factors continue to fuel resentment and provide fertile ground for armed group recruitment. Resolving them through inclusive governance, equitable development, and genuine dialogue will be essential in building a stable and peaceful future for the eastern DRC.
What Happens Next?
The Komanda attack is not just a tragedy; it is a call to action. The DRC has suffered for too long under the weight of conflict, neglect, and impunity. While the people of Komanda bury their dead and struggle to rebuild, the rest of the country, and indeed the region, must confront hard truths about the price of inaction.
Protecting lives and livelihoods in the DRC will require courage, collaboration, and a commitment to justice that transcends politics and borders. As the world watches, what happens next will determine whether Komanda becomes yet another forgotten massacre or the turning point in a long and painful journey toward peace.
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