Related to is rebels accused of killing Christian worshipers in command

Dozens of people were killed in an attack by an Islamic State branch in the Northeastern Democratic Republic of Congo, local officials say.

About 20 of the dead were worshipers participating in a night vigil in a church in the town of Command when they were attacked by fighters of the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), they say.

The shops and business nearby were looted and set on fire.

ADF appeared in Uganda in the 1990s, accusing the government there for pursuit of Muslims, but is now based on the border in Congo, where it regularly attacks civilians from all religions, as well as in Uganda.

Since then, it has become part of the Central African province of the Islamic State, which also includes a group in Mozambique.

According to BBC monitoring studies, nearly 90% of IS operations are now performed by branches in Africa.

Dieudonne Duranthabo, a civil society coordinator in command, told the Associated Press that more bodies could be found after the last attack.

“More than 21 people were shot inside and out (the church) and we recorded at least three charred bodies and a few burned houses. But the demand continues.”

Father Ame Lokana Dhego, a local priest, told the AFP news agency: “We have at least 31 dead members of the Eucharistic Crusade movement, with six severely injured. Some young people were abducted, we have no news for them.”

He added that seven other bodies were found elsewhere in the city.

The UN-Sponsored Radio Okapi website put the number of dead on 43.

An army spokesman said he could confirm 10 deaths.

In 2021, C Congo invited the Ugandan troops to the country to deal with ADF. However, the attacks continue.

The command is in the rich in the mineral of Dr. Congo Province Ituri, which has been fighting from various armed groups for many years.