Worshippers gathered in a quiet church for a nighttime prayer vigil in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo when attackers struck with knives and machetes, leaving dozens dead in a single night of horror.

According to Fox News, A brutal assault on a church in Komanda by ISIS-linked militants killed 49 Christians, including children, prompting global condemnation and renewed concern about extremist violence across Africa.

The attack unfolded around 1 a.m. last Sunday in Komanda, a community located in eastern DRC. According to local reports, the congregation had come together to pray for peace when militants from the Allied Democratic Forces, a group affiliated with the Islamic State, stormed the building.

Armed with blades and crude weapons, the attackers slaughtered worshippers inside the church. Among the 49 people killed were nine children, marking one of the bloodiest incidents targeting Christians in the region this year.

In addition to the massacre, militants abducted several villagers during the incursion. The assault did not end within the church walls—homes in Komanda were also set on fire, forcing residents to flee or hide as violence spread through the area.

International Leaders and Groups Speak Out

The atrocity drew a wave of condemnation from religious leaders, governments, and advocacy organizations. Pope Leo XIV, expressing sorrow, said, "May the blood of these martyrs become a seed of peace, reconciliation, fraternity, and love for the Congolese people."

A cardinal at the Vatican shared that the pope had learned of the attack with "dismay and deep sorrow." On July 28, villagers held funerals for the victims, laying to rest the 49 people who had lost their lives during prayer.

In Washington, a U.S. State Department spokesperson reaffirmed that the ADF was designated a Foreign Terrorist Organization in 2021 and expressed deep concern over the killing of civilians. The statement described the massacre as a “cowardly act of violence against Christians in their place of worship."

Rebel Violence Escalates Across the Region

The ADF, originally a rebel group from neighboring Uganda, has intensified its operations in eastern Congo in recent years, often targeting rural communities. With ties to ISIS, the ADF has conducted repeated strikes on civilian populations under the aim of establishing an Islamic caliphate.

The United Nations mission in the DRC, known as MONUSCO, labeled the attack as a grave violation of international law and human rights. Officials there called for increased protection for civilians and accountability for those responsible for orchestrating such violence.

This latest act is part of a broader trend of growing jihadist activity in sub-Saharan Africa. According to Open Doors, a Christian watchdog organization, nearly 70% of the world’s Christian deaths due to persecution last year occurred in Nigeria, with the DRC following closely behind.

Security Vacuums Leave Civilians Exposed

Illia Djadi, a senior researcher at Open Doors, highlighted the increasing dangers posed by extremist groups in the region. He explained that the ADF hopes to replicate what the Islamic State did in Iraq and Syria in 2014 by controlling land and subjugating populations under their interpretation of religion.

“There has been a lot of attention paid to the DRC recently," Djadi said, pointing to peace initiatives involving former U.S. President Donald Trump aimed at mediating tensions between the DRC and Rwanda. However, he noted that the Eastern region remains unstable due to the rebel group M23's ongoing occupation of several areas.

According to Djadi, while DRC government forces focus on countering M23 in urban centers, the rural countryside—including places like Komanda—is left largely unsecured. This leaves room for ADF operatives to launch deadly attacks with little resistance.

Grave Consequences if Left Unchecked

Djadi warned that the continued presence of jihadist elements across sub-Saharan Africa has turned the area into a new center of violent extremism. He added that Christians remain particularly at risk due to their visibility and religious practices.

He stressed the need for the Congolese government to fulfill its role in safeguarding all citizens. "It is the primary responsibility of the Congolese government to protect the whole nation, regardless of their religious faith or ethnic background," Djadi said.

He also issued a grave warning: “What would happen if the ADF continues its killing unopposed is too awful to contemplate.”

Pattern of Violence Extends Beyond DRC

The massacre in Komanda is only the latest in a series of tragic incidents. In February, 70 Christians were reportedly beheaded in another attack within the DRC. And on June 13, Pope Leo XIV decried the killing of around 200 Christians in Yelewata, Nigeria’s Benue State, describing the violence as carried out "with extraordinary cruelty."

Advocates argue that the rise in targeted attacks is not isolated but rather part of a deliberate strategy by extremist groups to destabilize and divide communities by religion. These acts threaten to deepen existing sectarian tensions and derail regional peace efforts.

As funerals take place and survivors grapple with immense loss, the international community continues to call for urgent action to stem the tide of religiously motivated violence sweeping across the region.