IS-Linked Militants Kill 25 in Deadly Eastern Congo Attack

No fewer than 25 people have been killed in a violent dawn attack carried out by militants linked to the Islamic State group in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), local officials and human rights organisations have said.

The assault, which took place early Sunday, has been blamed on the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), an Islamist armed group active in eastern Congo along the border with Uganda. The attack targeted several communities in Irumu territory, highlighting the worsening security situation in the area.

According to Christophe Munyanderu, president of the Convention for the Respect of Human Rights, 15 victims were burned alive inside a house, while seven others were shot dead in Apakulu village. He added that three more people were killed in the neighbouring Walese Vonkutu area.

“The attack happened around 4 a.m. and claimed at least 25 lives. This ADF incursion amounts to a massacre,” Munyanderu said.

Although authorities have yet to officially release details on the victims’ religious backgrounds, human rights groups believe Christians may be among those killed. The ADF has not commented on the incident, but the attack follows a series of deadly raids attributed to the group in recent months, including assaults last July that reportedly left over 100 people dead.

Eastern Congo has endured years of violence involving multiple armed groups, notably the ADF and the Rwanda-linked M23 rebels, resulting in mass killings, displacement, and widespread insecurity. The ADF originally emerged in Uganda as a rebel movement opposed to President Yoweri Museveni’s government before relocating into Congolese territory under sustained military pressure.

Despite joint operations by Congolese and Ugandan forces, the group has remained active. Analysts say its ties to the Islamic State have contributed to its growing brutality, with ISIS describing the region as part of its so-called Central Africa Province.

The DRC is listed among countries where Christians face severe persecution, a situation worsened by ongoing attacks, abductions, forced displacement, and the destruction of churches.

Authorities say investigations into the latest attack are underway as affected communities mourn the victims and calls intensify for stronger civilian protection in the conflict-hit region.