At least 43 civilians have been killed in an attack on a church in eastern Congo (Kinshasa).

According to local media in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) on the 27th, a church in Ituri Province, located in the eastern part of the country, was attacked by the Ugandan anti-government armed group “Democratic Alliance Forces” early in the morning on the 27th, resulting in at least 43 civilian deaths.
The report stated that “Democratic Alliance Forces” armed personnel attacked a Catholic church in the Komanda region of the province and set fire to several homes. The deceased were mostly Catholics preparing for Sunday religious celebrations, with several more missing. Additionally, eyewitnesses reported that “Democratic Alliance Forces” also looted a local bank.
On the 23rd, the United Nations Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) issued a statement condemning the recent multiple armed attacks by “Democratic Alliance Forces” in Ituri Province and North Kivu Province, killing at least 82 civilians.
After being defeated by the Ugandan government in the late 1990s, the “Democratic Alliance Forces” migrated to the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and have remained there to this day. In addition to their activities against the Ugandan government, “Democratic Alliance Forces” frequently attack Congolese military forces, civilians, and UN peacekeeping troops stationed in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
The security situation in eastern DRC is severe, with various local armed groups and foreign anti-government forces operating locally. Since the end of April 2021, the DRC government has implemented martial law in North Kivu Province and Ituri Province.