ISIL-linked rebels massacred dozens at funeral in eastern DRC in overnight raid

At least 60 people were killed in a brutal machete attack at a funeral in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) on Monday (8 September) night,in one of the deadliest recent assaults linked to the Islamic State-affiliated Allied Democratic Forces (ADF).

The victims were attending a mourning ceremony in the village of Ntoyo,Lubero territory,when the attackers struck under cover of darkness. Local officials report most were hacked to death with machetes,while others were shot or burned in their homes. “They told people to gather in one place and started cutting them. I listened to people screaming and I fainted,” said one survivor. The ADF,originally a Ugandan rebel group,has operated in the DRC for decades and aligned with ISIL in 2017. Despite lacking territorial control,the group continues to carry out mass-casualty raids using light arms,machetes,and improvised explosives. Experts estimate the ADF includes up to 1,500 fighters.

This attack follows a string of ADF atrocities in 2025,including a July church massacre that killed over 40 people and the murder of 52 villagers in August. The violence underscores the deteriorating security in North Kivu,where dozens of armed groups — including the Rwanda-backed M23 — are active. UN investigators recently warned that widespread rights violations,including possible war crimes,are being committed by both militias and the Congolese military. ADF’s latest assault highlights the group’s intent to terrorize civilians,recruit child soldiers,and destabilize the region.