Dozens of DR Congo mourners killed in attack linked to jihadist group

IS-Linked Rebels Kill Over 50 at Funeral in Eastern DR Congo

North Kivu, DR Congo -More than 50 people were brutally killed in a nighttime attack on a funeral ceremony in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), local officials confirmed Tuesday, in one of the deadliest assaults attributed to the Islamic State (IS)-linked Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) this year.

According to authorities, the massacre occurred late Monday in the remote village of Ntoyo, located in North Kivu province, when ADF fighters descended on mourners gathered for a burial ceremony. Most victims were reportedly hacked to death with machetes. Others were burned alive in their homes.

“I can confirm a provisional death toll of 50. The victims were caught off guard at a mourning ceremony,” said Macaire Sivikunula, a local administrator, in comments to Reuters.

The DRC military said soldiers responded to the attack but arrived too late to prevent the killings. "The ADF fighters had already committed the massacre by the time our troops intervened," said army spokesperson Lieutenant Marc Elongo.

While the ADF has not publicly commented, the Islamic State’s Central Africa Province (ISCAP), to which the group is affiliated, claimed responsibility, alleging that more than 100 people had been killed. The claim has not been independently verified, but a similar death toll was reported by local broadcaster Mishapi Voice Radio, which described the aftermath as "utter carnage."

A Surge in Violence

The attack marks the latest in a series of increasingly brutal assaults by the ADF, a group originally formed in Uganda in the 1990s with the stated aim of fighting government persecution of Muslims. Over the past decade, the ADF has entrenched itself in eastern DR Congo and aligned with IS, operating under its Central Africa Province banner.

In July, more than 40 people including nine children  were killed in another ADF-led attack during a night vigil at a church in the town of Komanda, also in the country’s northeast. That massacre, like Monday's, was marked by extreme violence and the targeting of civilians gathered in places of worship or communal mourning.

UN officials and rights groups have warned that the ADF’s insurgency is gaining strength, with attacks becoming more frequent and deadly. Many of these operations are carried out under the cover of darkness, often in rural areas with limited military presence.

IS Influence Growing in Africa

The escalation of violence in eastern DRC highlights the growing footprint of IS affiliates on the African continent. According to research by BBC Monitoring, nearly 90% of Islamic State operations globally are now conducted by African affiliates, including in the Sahel, Mozambique, and the Lake Chad Basin.

Despite joint military operations by Congolese and Ugandan forces aimed at dismantling ADF bases in North Kivu and Ituri provinces, the group continues to evade capture and strike soft targets, particularly civilian gatherings.

The UN has repeatedly condemned the violence and called for greater international support in stabilizing the eastern region of DRC, where dozens of armed groups continue to operate with impunity.

Monday's attack adds to the mounting humanitarian toll in North Kivu, where thousands have been displaced in recent months due to ongoing insecurity.

“No One Was Spared”

Local witnesses described scenes of horror in Ntoyo, with entire families wiped out and homes set ablaze. “No one was spared,” one survivor told Mishapi Voice Radio. “They came with knives and torches. People were screaming, running, but there was nowhere to hide.”

Humanitarian organizations and local officials are still working to confirm the final death toll, as access to the area remains difficult due to security concerns.

The DRC government has yet to release an official statement on the attack.