A devastating attack on a Catholic church in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo’s city of Komanda has left 38 worshippers dead and dozens injured.
Armed rebels, believed to be members of the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), stormed the church during a night mass, targeting the congregation with guns and machetes.
Jean Kato, an official with the city administration, confirmed that gunmen and machete-wielding assailants targeted the congregation while they prayed overnight.
38 people were killed, 15 injured, and several others remain unaccounted for.
Human rights activist Christophe Munyanderu described the scene, saying the rebels mainly attacked Christians spending the night in the church, killing them with machetes or bullets.
The United Nations Organisation Stabilisation Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo has condemned the violence, calling for stronger efforts to protect civilians from further attacks.