A terrorist organization with ties to the "Islamic State" has carried out an attack on a Christian church in eastern Congo.

Visitors had gathered for a christening ceremony on Sunday when a bomb detonated.

According to official figures on Monday, more than ten people were killed and more than 60 injured.

Claudia Bröll

Political correspondent for Africa based in Cape Town.

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Shortly afterwards, pictures on social media showed desperate churchgoers in the devastated church.

A few shoes, bags and the remains of clothing lay between the pews.

Eyewitnesses said the blast ripped off some of the victims' limbs.

For decades, eastern Congo has been shaken by terror and violence.

More than 100 armed groups are fighting there for power, land and access to raw materials.

The Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) organization has now accused itself of the weekend attack in Kasindi, a town on the border with Uganda.

Thousands of terror victims since 2014

It caused an international sensation in November 2021 when three ADF terrorists blew themselves up in quick succession in the center of Uganda's capital Kampala.

Several people died, including the attackers.

The organization was formed in 1995 from the merger of two rebel movements in Uganda.

She was later driven out by the Ugandan military and has since been active mainly in eastern Congo, where she has been involved in numerous massacres of the civilian population.

The US State Department has classified the ADF as a terrorist organization and a partner of "Islamic State" (IS) since 2021.

The terrorists have reportedly killed thousands of civilians and hundreds of soldiers since 2014.

For a good year now, Uganda has been supporting the Congolese military in the fight against terrorists, including with airstrikes.

So far, however, it has not been possible to weaken or push back the organization.

It even seems to be expanding its activities, for example to the big city of Goma.

In addition, blue helmet soldiers from the UN mission MONUSCO have been trying to ensure peace in Congo since 1999.

The attack on the church occurred two weeks before Pope Francis' visit to the Congolese capital of Kinshasa.

A large part of the population is Catholic, and the Catholic Church plays an important role in everyday life and in the state.

Among other things, the Pope wants to meet with refugees from eastern Congo.

The President of the Congo, Felix Tshisekedi, spoke of a "heinous crime" and assured that the "culprits would be prosecuted, arrested, brought to justice and severely punished".

Opposition MPs, in turn, called on the government to take responsibility and ensure security.

A military spokesman said a suspected bomber was arrested.

It is a Kenyan citizen.

Meanwhile, alarming news came from Kasindi via social media that there was no more medication and it was not known how to treat the injured.

The Ugandan government announced aid on Monday.

The victims of the attack would be cared for there free of charge.