More than 40 people were killed in an attack by an Islamic State affiliate in north-eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, the UN and the military said.
Most of them were worshippers taking part in a night vigil at a church in the town of Komanda when they were attacked by Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) fighters. Nine of those killed were children, the UN peacekeeping mission said.
Nearby shops and businesses were looted and set on fire.
The ADF emerged in Uganda in the 1990s, accusing the government there of persecuting Muslims, but is now based over the border in DR Congo, where it regularly attacks civilians of all religions, as well as in Uganda.
It has since become part of the Islamic State’s Central African Province, which also includes a group in Mozambique.
According to research by BBC Monitoring, nearly 90% of IS operations are now carried out by affiliates in Africa.
The attack claimed at least 43 people, including 19 women, 15 men and nine children, the UN peacekeeping mission, Monusco, said.
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