At Least 38 Dead in Church Attack in Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo

At least 38 people were killed and 15 injured in a brutal attack by suspected Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) militants on a Catholic church in Komanda, Ituri province, eastern DRC. Armed with guns and machetes, the attackers targeted worshippers during a prayer vigil, also burning nearby homes and shops. Some bodies were found in the church and others in charred buildings. The ADF, linked to ISIL, has long terrorized civilians in the region. Local leaders have condemned the failure of security forces and demanded urgent military action. The UN also denounced the escalating violence in Ituri province by ADF fighters.