At least 35 people were killed when suspected Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) rebels stormed a Catholic church during a Saturday night service in north eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, ending months of relative calm in the region, local officials reported on Sunday.

The attack took place in Komanda, a bustling commercial town in Ituri province’s Irumu territory, where worshippers had gathered for evening prayers. Residents reported heavy gunfire around 9 p.m. local time near the Blessed Anuarite Parish.

“We have at least 31 members of the Eucharistic Crusade movement dead, with six others seriously injured,” said Father Aime Lokana Dhego, the parish priest. “Some youths were abducted, and we still have no word on them.” He later confirmed seven additional bodies had been discovered in the town.

Describing the incident as “a massacre,” Komanda elder Dieudonne Katanabo said at least 35 bodies had been tallied by Sunday morning. Christophe Munyanderu, head of the local NGO Convention for the Respect of Human Rights, reported a provisional death toll of 38.

Lieutenant Jules Ngongo, army spokesperson in Ituri, confirmed the assault and blamed the ADF, a rebel group made up of former Ugandan fighters that aligned with the Islamic State in 2019. Despite ongoing military offensives, the ADF has been responsible for numerous civilian massacres in northeastern DR Congo.

The last major ADF assault in the region occurred in February, when 23 civilians were killed in Mambasa territory. Saturday’s bloodshed marks a grim reminder of the group’s enduring threat and the fragility of security in Ituri.

Komanda lies at a vital crossroads linking Ituri to Tshopo, North Kivu, and Maniema provinces, making it a strategic target for armed groups vying for control of key transport routes.

Joint military operations under “Operation Shujaa,” launched in late 2021 by Ugandan and Congolese forces, have failed to fully neutralize the ADF, which continues to wreak havoc across the region.