Nearly 40 people were killed Sunday, July 27th, 2025  in eastern Congo’s Ituri province when Islamic State-backed rebels stormed a Catholic church during a vigil and opened fire on worshippers.

According to the UN mission known as MONUSCO, at least 38 people, including women and children, were confirmed dead in the church, while another five were killed in a nearby village.

The Congolese government condemned the church attack as “horrific”, while the military described it as a “large-scale massacre” carried out in revenge for recent security operations targeting the ADF. MONUSCO has also condemned the attack.

The armed group ADF  has claimed responsibility for that deadly attack on its Telegram channel.

Pope: May blood of ‘martyrs’ in DRC church attack become seed of peace

Pope Leo sent a message of condolences to the bereaved families and the Christian community who lost their relatives and friends in the assault, saying he would pray for them.

In his condolence message, Pope Leo XIV expressed deep sorrow over the massacre, referring to the victims as “martyrs” and praying that their sacrifice becomes a seed for peace and reconciliation in the region.

“I renew my deep sadness over the brutal terrorist attack that took place during the night of July 26–27 in Komanda, eastern DRC, where over forty Christians were killed during a prayer vigil and in their homes. While commending the victims to God’s mercy, I pray for the wounded and for all Christians worldwide who continue to suffer from violence and persecution.” – He said.

The Congolese army (FARDC) has long struggled to contain the group, especially amid renewed conflict involving the M23 rebel movement backed by neighboring Rwanda.

The church attack on Sunday was the latest in a series of deadly ADF assaults on civilians, including an attack earlier this month when the group killed 66 people in Ituri province. The attack happened on July 11, at about 1am (00:00 GMT) in the Irumu area, near the border with Uganda.

You will know that the ADF, which has ties to the Islamic State, operates in the borderland between Uganda and Congo and often targets civilians.

The ADF was formed by disparate small groups in Uganda in the late 1990s following alleged discontent with President Yoweri Museveni.

In 2002, following military assaults by Ugandan forces, the group moved its activities to neighboring Congo and has since been responsible for the killings of thousands of civilians. In 2019, it pledged allegiance to the Islamic State.