200 Christians killed in Nigeria and the silence of the Spanish mainstream pressA brutal attack by Islamist rebels of the Allied Democratic Forces (FDA) left at least 35 people dead and several seriously wounded on Sunday in the town of Komanda, in the northeast of the Democratic Republic of Congo, local sources confirmed. The massacre ended several months of relative calm in the region, historically plagued by jihadist violence.
The events occurred during a prayer vigil at the Blessed Anuarita Catholic parish, where numerous faithful, mostly young people, had gathered on Saturday evening in preparation for the celebration of confirmations scheduled for Sunday. During the night, members of the FDA broke into the church and opened fire on those present.
"We have at least 31 members of the Eucharistic Crusade dead, with six seriously wounded... some young people were kidnapped; we have no news of them," declared Father Aime Lokana Dhego, pastor of the attacked church, visibly affected by the tragedy.
Origins of the FDA
The FDA, an armed group originally formed by Ugandan rebels and which since 2019 has pledged allegiance to the Islamic State, has intensified its activity in the provinces of Ituri and North Kivu. Although this weekend's attack was the deadliest recently recorded, the Komanda region and neighboring Mambasa have been suffering from raids and attacks by this group for more than two years.
The Congolese armed forces, in coordination with the Ugandan army, have been maintaining for months a joint operation to contain the jihadist threat in the area, without yet succeeding in completely eradicating its operational capacity.
This attack has generated consternation both locally and internationally, and has reignited the debate about the effectiveness of security measures in vulnerable areas of the country, especially around religious communities.
Condolences of the Holy Father
In a communiqué sent by Cardinal Parolin, Leo XIV received with dismay and deep sorrow the news of the attack perpetrated against the parish of Komanda, in the province of Ituri. The Pope "joined in the mourning of the families and the Christian community gravely affected, expressing his closeness to them and assuring them of his prayers. This tragedy invites us to work even more for the integral human development of the affected population of this region. His Holiness implores God that the blood of these martyrs may be a seed of peace, reconciliation, fraternity and love for all the Congolese people", added the message sent by the Vatican Secretariat of State.
* News updated on 7/28/2025. 15.24.
