Militants from the Allied Democratic Forces attacked people at a youth retreat
At least 43 people, including children, were killed July 27 in an overnight attack on a Catholic church in Komanda in eastern Congo.
Militants from the Allied Democratic Forces — an Islamist group linked to the Islamic State group — targeted faithful gathered for a youth retreat, opening fire and using machetes before looting homes and attacking displaced persons sheltering nearby.
The United Nations’ mission in the country called the attack a “heinous” act of violence in a July 27 statement. Victims were buried in a mass grave July 28 following a funeral Mass at the Komanda church with Father Aime Lokana Dhegoin presiding.
Pope Leo expressed “deep sorrow” over the attack in a July 28 telegram, signed by Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Vatican’s secretary of state, and sent to Archbishop Fulgence Muteba Mugalu of Lubumbashi, who is president of Congo’s bishops’ conference.
The pope joined “the mourning of the families and the Christian community,” expressing his closeness and assurance of prayers.
“This tragedy invites us to work even harder for the integral human development of the wounded population of this region,” the pope said.
“His Holiness implores God that the blood of these martyrs may be a seed of peace, reconciliation, brotherhood and love for all the Congolese people.”
According to reports, the Allied Democratic Forces, or ADF, descended on Komanda, a township about 46 miles southwest of the city of Bunia, the capital of the province, in the early morning hours of July 27. Targeted were Catholics gathering for a retreat in the Caritas hall of the Blessed Marie-Clémentine Anuarite Nengapeta Catholic Church in the township.
The militants ambushed the night prayer vigil. The armed men gunned down some of the worshippers, killed others with machetes and abducted others.
Father Marcelo Oliveira, a Comboni missionary who has been in the Congo for many years, told the pontifical charity Aid to the Church in Need that the victims were part of a movement called Eucharistic Crusade and were participating in a prayer vigil as part of a summer holiday formation session.
“The attack occurred at around 1 o’clock in the morning. The rebels entered the church and murdered a large number of children, both inside the church building and in the compound,” he said.
Nearby homes, shops and banks were looted by the militia, who also attacked displaced people camping in the town’s hospital.
“The people — both the youth and adults — had gathered to celebrate the jubilee of the parish church when the attack occurred. Those who came from other regions left, but the local worshippers converged in the church hall to wait for the Sunday service,” Father Justin Zanamuzi, vicar general of the Diocese of Bunia, said.
“As the Church, we condemn this attack in the greatest terms possible. We feel the pain of this attack.”
ADF, an organization blamed for the attack, is a militia group that was launched in Uganda in 1995 and currently operates in the mountainous region between Uganda and Congo. The group has been recruiting child soldiers, maiming, killing, and raping women and children. In 2019, the militant group pledged allegiance to the Islamic State and increased its attacks.
“I think they are everywhere now. We cannot also rule out religious motivation. They are Muslim extremists and are known to attack Christians,” he said.
