Latest news with #AimeLokanaDhego
The Sun
2 days ago
- Politics
- The Sun
DR Congo church massacre survivors describe ADF terror attack
BUNIA: Survivors of a brutal massacre at a Catholic church in northeastern Democratic Republic of Congo have described a night of terror as Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) militants stormed the building, killing dozens. The attack, which occurred overnight Saturday to Sunday in Komanda, Ituri province, left 43 dead, including nine children. Pierre Abendi, 21, was among those inside the Blessed Anuarite Catholic parish church when the assault began. 'I stood against a wall and hid behind a mattress. I waited quietly for my turn to die,' he told AFP, his voice trembling. Witnesses said the attackers spoke a foreign language, confirming their identity as ADF fighters. The UN peacekeeping mission (MONUSCO) confirmed the death toll, while a local priest, Aime Lokana Dhego, reported six seriously wounded and several young people kidnapped. One survivor, who asked not to be named, described hearing 'gunshots and cries for help' before militants threatened to burn down his shop. 'We saw them armed with machetes and rifles. It was terrifying,' he said. The ADF, an Islamist group linked to Islamic State, has been responsible for years of violence in eastern DR Congo. Despite joint military operations by Ugandan and Congolese forces since 2021, the group continues to carry out brutal attacks. At a funeral in Komanda, mourners criticized security forces for failing to protect civilians. 'What are the security services doing? They're not doing their job,' one woman told AFP. MONUSCO deputy chief Vivian van de Perre condemned the attack, calling it 'revolting' and a violation of international humanitarian law. The Congolese army accused the ADF of seeking 'revenge on defenceless populations.' Pope Leo XIV expressed grief over the killings, while France condemned the attack and pledged support for Congolese authorities. - AFP
Kuwait Times
3 days ago
- Politics
- Kuwait Times
At least 35 killed in rebel attack in northeast DR Congo
This aerial view shows the town of Komanda, Ituri province, eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.-- AFP BUNIA, DR Congo: At least 35 people were killed Sunday in an attack by Allied Democratic Forces rebels in northeastern DR Congo, ending a months-long period of regional calm, local sources told AFP. The ADF, originally formed from former Ugandan rebels and which pledged allegiance to Islamic State in 2019, raided a Catholic church in the town of Komanda where worshippers were gathered for prayer, residents told AFP by telephone from Bunia, capital of Ituri province. 'Last night around 9 pm (1900 GMT), we heard gunfire near the parish church... so far we have seen 35 bodies,' Dieudonne Katanabo, an Umoja neighborhood elder, told AFP. 'We have at least 31 dead members of the Eucharistic Crusade movement, with six seriously injured... some young people were kidnapped, we have no news of them,' Father Aime Lokana Dhego, parish priest of the Blessed Anuarite parish of Komanda, told AFP. The priest added that seven other bodies had been discovered in the town. Likewise attributing the attack to 'ADF rebels', Christophe Munyanderu, coordinator of the local NGO Convention for the Respect of Human Rights, gave a provisional death toll of 38. Lieutenant Jules Ngongo, army spokesman in Ituri, did not comment on the toll but confirmed the attack to AFP, stating that 'the enemy is believed to have been identified among ADF' rebels. The bloodshed comes after months of calm in the region of Ituri, bordering Uganda. The last major attack by the ADF was in February, leaving 23 dead in Mambasa territory. The town of Komanda in Irumu territory is a commercial hub linking three other provinces—Tshopo, North Kivu, and Maniema. The ADF, originally Ugandan rebels who are predominantly Muslim, has killed thousands of civilians and ramped up looting and killing in northeastern DRC despite the deployment both of the Ugandan army alongside Congolese armed forces in the area. At the end of 2021, Kampala and Kinshasa launched a joint military operation against the ADF, dubbed 'Shujaa', which has so far been unable to dislodge the group. — AFP
Observer
3 days ago
- Politics
- Observer
At least 35 killed in church attack in northeast DR Congo
BUNIA: At least 35 people were killed on Sunday in an attack by Allied Democratic Forces rebels in northeastern DR Congo, ending a months-long period of regional calm, local sources said. The ADF, originally formed from former Ugandan rebels and which pledged allegiance to IS group in 2019, raided a Catholic church in the town of Komanda where worshippers were gathered for prayer, residents said by telephone from Bunia, capital of Ituri province. "Last night around 9 pm, we heard gunfire near the parish church... so far we have seen 35 bodies," Dieudonne Katanabo, an Umoja neighbourhood elder, said. "We have at least 31 dead members of the Eucharistic Crusade movement, with six seriously injured... some young people were kidnapped, we have no news of them," Father Aime Lokana Dhego, parish priest of the Blessed Anuarite parish of Komanda, said. The priest added that seven other bodies had been discovered in the town. Likewise attributing the attack to "ADF rebels", Christophe Munyanderu, coordinator of the local NGO Convention for the Respect of Human Rights, gave a provisional death toll of 38. Lieutenant Jules Ngongo, army spokesman in Ituri, did not comment on the toll but confirmed the attack to AFP, stating that "the enemy is believed to have been identified among ADF" rebels. The bloodshed comes after months of calm in the region of Ituri, bordering Uganda. The last major attack by the ADF was in February, leaving 23 dead in Mambasa territory. The town of Komanda in Irumu territory is a commercial hub linking three other provinces — Tshopo, North Kivu and Maniema. The ADF has killed thousands of civilians and ramped up looting and killing in northeastern DRC despite the deployment both of the Ugandan army alongside Congolese armed forces in the area. At the end of 2021, Kampala and Kinshasa launched a joint military operation against the ADF, dubbed "Shujaa", which has so far been unable to dislodge the group. — AFP
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Churchgoers killed in DR Congo attack linked to Islamic State
Dozens of people have been killed in an attack by an Islamic State affiliate in north-eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, local officials say. About 20 of the dead were worshippers taking part in a night vigil at a church in the town of Komanda when they were attacked by Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) fighters, they say. Nearby shops and businesses were looted and set on fire. The ADF emerged in Uganda in the 1990s, accusing the government there of persecuting Muslims, but is now based over the border in DR Congo, where it regularly attacks civilians of all religions, as well as in Uganda. It has since become part of the Islamic State's Central African Province, which also includes a group in Mozambique. According to research by BBC Monitoring, nearly 90% of IS operations are now carried out by affiliates in Africa. Dieudonne Duranthabo, a civil society coordinator in Komanda, told the Associated Press that more bodies could be found after the latest attack. "More than 21 people were shot dead inside and outside [the church] and we have recorded at least three charred bodies and several houses burned. But the search is continuing." Father Aime Lokana Dhego, a local priest, told the AFP news agency: "We have at least 31 dead members of the Eucharistic Crusade movement, with six seriously injured. Some young people were kidnapped, we have no news of them." He added that seven other bodies had been found elsewhere in the town. The UN-sponsored Radio Okapi website put the number of dead at 43. A spokesperson for the army said he could confirm 10 deaths. In 2021, DR Congo invited Ugandan troops into the country to help tackle the ADF. Attacks however still continue. Komanda is in DR Congo's mineral-rich Ituri province, which has been fought over by various armed groups for many years. Find out more about the ADF: ADF: The Ugandan rebels working with IS in DR Congo Inside view of the IS-linked ADF rebels Go to for more news from the African continent. Follow us on Twitter @BBCAfrica, on Facebook at BBC Africa or on Instagram at bbcafrica BBC Africa podcasts Africa Daily Focus on Africa
Time of India
3 days ago
- Time of India
At least 35 killed in rebel attack in northeast DR Congo
At least 35 people were killed Sunday in an attack by Allied Democratic Forces rebels in northeastern DR Congo, ending a months-long period of regional calm, local sources told AFP. The ADF, originally formed from former Ugandan rebels and which pledged allegiance to Islamic State in 2019, raided a Catholic church in the town of Komanda where worshippers were gathered for prayer, residents told AFP by telephone from Bunia, capital of Ituri province. Explore courses from Top Institutes in Please select course: Select a Course Category Management Data Science PGDM Finance MBA Artificial Intelligence Project Management Cybersecurity healthcare Public Policy Digital Marketing Healthcare Data Science Leadership Data Analytics Operations Management Others others Technology Design Thinking Degree CXO Product Management MCA Skills you'll gain: Duration: 9 Months IIM Calcutta CERT-IIMC APSPM India Starts on undefined Get Details Skills you'll gain: Duration: 10 Months IIM Kozhikode CERT-IIMK GMPBE India Starts on undefined Get Details Skills you'll gain: Duration: 11 Months IIM Kozhikode CERT-IIMK General Management Programme India Starts on undefined Get Details "Last night around 9 pm (1900 GMT), we heard gunfire near the parish church... so far we have seen 35 bodies," Dieudonne Katanabo, an Umoja neighbourhood elder, told AFP. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Relive the Bollywood 2025 moments that went viral Learn More Undo "We have at least 31 dead members of the Eucharistic Crusade movement, with six seriously injured... some young people were kidnapped, we have no news of them," Father Aime Lokana Dhego, parish priest of the Blessed Anuarite parish of Komanda, told AFP. The priest added that seven other bodies had been discovered in the town. Live Events Likewise attributing the attack to " ADF rebels ", Christophe Munyanderu, coordinator of the local NGO Convention for the Respect of Human Rights, gave a provisional death toll of 38. Lieutenant Jules Ngongo, army spokesman in Ituri, did not comment on the toll but confirmed the attack to AFP, stating that "the enemy is believed to have been identified among ADF" rebels. The bloodshed comes after months of calm in the region of Ituri, bordering Uganda. The last major attack by the ADF was in February, leaving 23 dead in Mambasa territory. The town of Komanda in Irumu territory is a commercial hub linking three other provinces -- Tshopo, North Kivu, and Maniema. The ADF, originally Ugandan rebels who are predominantly Muslim, has killed thousands of civilians and ramped up looting and killing in northeastern DRC despite the deployment both of the Ugandan army alongside Congolese armed forces in the area. At the end of 2021, Kampala and Kinshasa launched a joint military operation against the ADF, dubbed "Shujaa", which has so far been unable to dislodge the group.
