A violent assault on a Church-run hospital in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo has left around 20 civilians dead and an entire nation in mourning. The attack, carried out late Friday night in the village of Byambwe in North Kivu, targeted a health center managed by the Little Sisters of the Presentation. Patients who were unable to flee were killed in their beds before the building was set on fire. Several women in the maternity ward died in the flames, and witnesses report that newborns were seized by the attackers.
Local authorities and Church officials identify the assailants as militants from the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), a group aligned with the so-called Islamic State. The ADF has operated across North Kivu and Ituri for years, striking villages, schools, farms, and prayer gatherings with increasing regularity. The region continues to suffer both from internal political tensions and from cross-border dynamics involving Rwanda and Uganda, despite recent diplomatic efforts.
Fr. Giovanni Piumatti, an Italian missionary who served more than 50 years in the Diocese of Butembo-Beni, confirmed the details of the attack in conversation with Vatican News. Speaking from Italy, he described the pattern as consistent with previous ADF operations.
According to him, 15 people were killed inside the clinic, with another five murdered nearby. Houses around the center were burned after the militants looted medical supplies. He noted that the attackers were well-armed and moved quickly through Byambwe before disappearing into the forest.
Fr. Piumatti did not hide his anguish over the brutality. He told Cecilia Seppia, from Vatican News, that many victims were killed with extreme violence, including parents caring for their infants. He added that these operations occur with alarming frequency and rarely receive significant reporting. His account echoes years of testimony from survivors, clergy, and humanitarian workers across eastern Congo.
The same network of militants is believed responsible for the July assault on a Christian congregation in Komanda, where dozens of worshippers were killed during a service. Following that incident, Pope Leo XIV condemned the violence at the July 30 General Audience, offering prayers for the dead and urging international leaders to engage seriously with the crisis. The Catechism teaches that “peace is the work of justice and the effect of charity” (CCC 2304), a principle that resonates deeply in regions where civilians bear the full weight of instability.
The sisters who operated the Byambwe center have long provided essential medical care in an area that lacks reliable services. Their work focuses on childbirth and basic surgery, and many families rely on them as the only accessible source of treatment. With the facility destroyed, they are now assisting survivors outdoors while waiting for security assessments. Many villagers remain displaced, too afraid to return to their homes.
As local clergy, humanitarian organizations, and the sisters attempt to account for the missing and care for the wounded, Byambwe joins a long list of communities seeking stability and basic security in a region marked by ongoing violence.
