43 killed in Islamist attack on church in Congo

KINSHASA, Democratic Republic of Congo – The Islamist militia Allied Democratic Forces killed at least 43 people in an attack on a Catholic church in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the police said on Sunday.

The rebels reportedly stabbed 20 worshipers during a prayer session in the village of Komanda in the northeastern province of Ituri, police officer Alfonse Leku told dpa.

Subsequently, the rebels set fire to surrounding houses and shops, during which at least 23 more people were killed, Leku said.

Eastern Congo is considered one of the most dangerous regions in the world. Across the country, which is about the size of Western Europe, around 130 different armed groups are said to be active.

Many of the armed groups are focused on controlling valuable natural resources such as coltan, cobalt, gold and diamonds.

The ADF, originally from neighboring Uganda and considered an offshoot of the terrorist militia Islamic State, has been active in Congo for almost 30 years.