At least 49 Christians were brutally killed during a night prayer vigil in Komanda, a town in Ituri province of eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, when Islamist militants from the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) launched a deadly attack in the early hours of July 27.
Worshippers gathered at a Catholic church were targeted both inside and outside the building, with many killed while trying to flee. Nearby shops, homes, and businesses were also looted and set on fire before the militants retreated.
Security forces arrived too late to stop the attack, and the death toll continues to rise, with victims still being recovered. Community leaders have begun preparing a mass grave at the church site. In addition to the killings, the ADF abducted at least 20 children, leaving families in anguish.
The Komanda massacre is part of a wider wave of violence in the region, with at least 80 people reported killed in similar attacks throughout July, including five in a nearby village days earlier.