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Exclusive eyewitness testimony reveals horrific details of deadly church attack in African nation
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Warning: This article contains graphic details that may be disturbing to some readers.
FIRST ON FOX – Dramatic testimony has been revealed exclusively to Fox News Digital, giving new details from the scene of the horrific massacre Sunday by Jihadists allied to the Islamic State of at least 49 Christians worshiping in a church in the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
Nine of those who were decapitated were children. Several other children, the number isn’t clear, were abducted. The attackers were members of the Islamist Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), a sanctioned rebel group with roots in Uganda.
With the assistance of Open Doors UK, Fox News Digital reached a local church partner of the organization in the DRC, who rushed to witness the scene of the attack, in the village of Komanda, just hours after it took place. Open Doors is a global Christian charity which supports and speaks up for Christians persecuted for their faith.
POPE LEO XIV CONDEMNS BRUTAL MACHETE ATTACK THAT KILLED 49 CHRISTIANS DURING PRAYER IN DR CONGO
A screenshot shows villagers inspecting the damage left by jihadi terrorists who killed 49 Christians in DR Congo on Sunday. (Open Doors)
From survivors in the village, including a shop owner who managed to be an eyewitness and remarkably escaped detection by the attackers even though his shop was burnt down, and the reported position of the bodies of those hacked to death, the church worker pieced together an account of how the attack happened.
Judith, whose name has been changed to protect her identity, told Fox News Digital it was clear something was wrong even before she reached the village. «On our way we could see people already leaving, carrying their bags, heading for more secure areas.
«In Komanda there were no activities, and people were standing in groups around the shops and the places that had been burnt. And people were sad. There was sadness everywhere.»
Fox News Digital has learned worshipers had come from surrounding villages to celebrate the church’s Silver Jubilee in prayer and to pray for «the security situation» – to pray for peace.
«Attackers came in» she said, «and they beheaded Christians in the church.» The jihadis «killed those they met in the church hall. Those who tried to flee, they caught them and killed them in the compound. And then some others who managed to run towards the road, those also were caught and killed. All of them were killed with machetes. Most of those Christians who were killed, were Catholics.»
WIDESPREAD KILLING, RAPE, DISEASE AND WAR MAKE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO HELL ON EARTH
Villagers walk toward the burial site of 49 Christians killed by jihadists in the Democratic Republic of Congo. (Open Doors)
Another shopkeeper whose business was also burned down told Judith «we don’t even understand why all this is happening.»
The U.N.’s MONUSCO (the Stabilization Mission in the DRC) shipped in earth-digging «Caterpillars» to dig a huge crater in the village, a mass grave into which simple boxes which formed coffins were placed for the dead. Some of those buried that day had come to Komanda for safety after already being attacked in other areas before.
At Monday’s funeral, Judith said, «People were crying, weeping, some crying for their children who had been kidnapped. One woman cried for the man she was shortly due to marry, now lying dead. Others were also crying that this is the person that was taking care of me. Now the person is no more.
«There was sadness upon sadness everywhere. Everything they had is lost, they have nothing now.»
Villagers pray together for the 49 Christians killed last Sunday in the Democratic Republic of Congo by ISIS-linked extremists. (Open Doors)
Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Sen. Jim Risch, R-Idaho, on Monday condemned the attack on X, posting «This deadly escalation in their targeting of Christians makes the peace process, championed by @POTUS and @SecRubio even more urgent. We must focus all energies on eradicating these ISIS terrorists and forging a new regional economic path.»
«This is a crisis of biblical proportions», Henrietta Blyth, CEO of Open Doors UK and Ireland, told Fox News Digital, adding «This is a silent slaughter happening, which nobody is discussing. It’s like the slaughter of the innocents in the Bible, really. I mean, women and children are being targeted along with men. Nobody is reporting on it. Nobody even seems to be particularly concerned about it.»
POPE, STATE DEPARTMENT CONDEMN LATEST MASSACRE OF CHRISTIANS BY ISLAMIST MILITANTS IN NIGERIA
Villagers bury their dead following the murder of 49 Christians in the Democratic Republic of Congo by ISIS-linked jihadists. (Open Doors )
Blythe said that the Islamists are attempting to create a caliphate with its strict Islamic laws in a country which is 80-95% Christian.
«Christians are not even sleeping in their houses at night. They would rather sleep in the jungle at risk of wild animals than be sitting ducks in their houses when the extremists attack. In this part of Sub-Saharan Africa, we think that more than 16 million Christians have been displaced as a result of the violence. The church is on the run. Christians are snatching up their children and running for their lives, often at night.»
«This is not an isolated event,» Jo Newhouse, a Sub-Sahara specialist for Open Doors, told Fox News Digital. The organization reports that more than 80 local villagers, largely Christians, have been killed in other attacks in just this month of July alone. «We need the U.S. to pay attention about what is happening and use your influence for the church here. Do not be blind to what is happening here. Pay attention.»
Judith heard about President Donald Trump’s brokered peace deal between the DRC and Rwanda. However, it hasn’t so far made any difference to the situation where she is, in the eastern part of the country. «We have seen many peace accords which have not given any result,» she said. «The peace accord that is needed is the one with the ADF. For now, they continue attacks on the people.»
People gather around the charred remains of a burned vehicle following a deadly attack in Komanda, Ituri province of eastern DR Congo, where 49 worshipers were killed at a church service by jihadists. (Olivier Okande/UGC via AP)
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Villagers saw the Islamist attackers withdraw to a point a few miles away. A local source says no arrests have been made. Another attack can come at any time.
«If the Trump administration can put pressure on governments like Uganda and Rwanda to withdraw their forces here,» Judith said «Congo would be fine».
christianity religion,africa,terrorism,isis
Perros y gatos pueden transportar ADN humano entre personas, objetos y ambientes, incluso a lugares donde quienes viven con ellos no estuvieron.
Científicos de Australia descubrieron que en escenas de crímenes, el material genético hallado en el pelaje o en superficies asociadas a los animales no siempre corresponde a quienes forman parte del hogar.
Ese material que se toma como parte de las investigaciones forenses puede incluir rastros de visitantes, personas que han transportado al animal o usuarios de los vehículos involucrados.
Este hallazgo, que fue publicado en la revista Forensic Science International, puede cambiar la manera en que la ciencia forense interpreta la evidencia en delitos donde hay perros o gatos.
El equipo comprobó que “los perros pueden servir como vectores efectivos para la transferencia de ADN humano”, incluso con contactos breves.
En el estudio participaron Heidi Monkman y Mariya Goray, de la Facultad de Ciencia e Ingeniería de la Universidad Flinders.
También colaboraron Roland van Oorschot, de la Oficina del Jefe Científico Forense en el Departamento de Servicios Forenses de la Policía de Victoria y de la Facultad de Agricultura, Biomedicina y Medio Ambiente de la Universidad La Trobe, y Volgin Luke, de Ciencia Forense de Australia Meridional.
La investigación buscó saber si los animales domésticos, presentes en muchas escenas de crímenes, pueden influir en el análisis de ADN.
Aunque ya se sabía que el material genético puede transferirse entre personas y objetos, el rol de perros y gatos como intermediarios había sido poco explorado.
El equipo observó que, a diferencia de objetos o prendas, los animales pueden almacenar y transferir ADN humano de quienes viven en el hogar, de personas visitantes y de quienes los manipulan para un traslado.
Esto es clave en delitos como el robo de animales de compañía, donde el ADN puede ayudar a reconstruir los hechos.
El objetivo fue determinar si un animal puede recibir, retener y trasladar ADN humano a personas y lugares diferentes. Para comprobarlo, diseñaron un experimento controlado.
Un cuidador, sin contacto previo con los animales ni con quienes viven en los hogares, trasladó a cinco perros de distintas razas entre viviendas y autos desconocidos para todos. Así, cualquier ADN hallado debía provenir de esa interacción puntual.
El análisis se centró en el cuerpo del perro, la ropa del cuidador y el interior de los autos. Los perros, la camisa del cuidador y el asiento trasero del auto fueron las superficies clave que se analizaron, detallaron.
Se seleccionaron cinco perros y un cuidador experimentado, sin vínculo previo con los animales ni con las familias. El cuidador tampoco había usado antes los autos, salvo uno propio.
Luego del traslado, los investigadores tomaron muestras de ADN en la cabeza, lomo y costados de cada perro, una hora después del contacto.
También recolectaron rastros en el asiento trasero de cada auto y en distintas partes de la camisa del cuidador.
El ADN de al menos una persona que vivía en el hogar se detectó en el 85 % de las muestras tomadas de los perros.
En los autos, la presencia de ese ADN alcanzó el 35 %, y en la ropa del cuidador, el 10 %. El ADN del cuidador apareció en el 85 % de sus propias camisas, en el 40 % de los perros y en el 13 % de los autos.
Se halló ADN de los propietarios de los autos en los perros, en la ropa del cuidador y en el interior del vehículo, aunque nunca hubo contacto directo entre ellos.
Así, la investigación demostró que los contactos breves pueden permitir la transferencia y posterior recuperación de ADN, incluso a través de intermediarios.
En el 75 % de las muestras hubo al menos un contribuyente desconocido, lo que muestra lo complejo que resulta rastrear el origen del ADN en la vida cotidiana.
El equipo recurrió a herramientas estadísticas para discriminar perfiles principales y minoritarios, y remarcó que la mayoría de estas transferencias indirectas se presentaron como componentes menores o minoritarios en la mezcla.
La cantidad de ADN recuperado varió según la zona del contacto y el tiempo. La cabeza y el lomo de los perros mostraron mayores cantidades.
El equipo reconoció que el tamaño de muestra fue reducido, lo que limita la posibilidad de generalizar estos resultados.
Consideran que su trabajo es solo un primer paso y sugieren ampliar el estudio con más animales, diferentes escenarios y otros tipos de contacto.
La conclusión central es que “los perros pueden actuar como vectores de transferencia de ADN cuando son trasladados entre dos lugares”, incluso si ese desplazamiento dura poco tiempo.
Recomiendan que, en casos con animales domésticos, se tomen muestras en la ropa, en los propios animales y en los vehículos involucrados.
La investigación subraya que la facilidad con la que el ADN viaja en contactos breves y su persistencia en distintas superficies obliga a repensar las estrategias de la ciencia forense en delitos con animales.
El estudio deja claro que perros y gatos no son solo testigos mudos en las escenas del crimen: pueden convertirse en piezas clave para resolver un caso o, al mismo tiempo, en el mayor enigma para quienes buscan la verdad.
En diálogo con Infobae, el doctor en ciencias naturales Guillermo Giovambattista, investigador en genética no humana del Instituto de Genética Veterinaria Ingeniero Fernando Dulout, dependiente del Conicet y de la Universidad Nacional de La Plata, en Argentina, explicó tras leer el estudio: “Cuando una persona toca un objeto, deja su ADN a través de la piel. Por eso, se han podido identificar perfiles genéticos al recuperar el ADN de superficies. Por lo cual, es lógico que si una persona acaricia a un perro o un gato, se podría recuperar su ADN con la técnica apropiada”.
Además, el experto recordó que “hubo casos judiciales en los que el ADN de un animal doméstico permitió vincular al sospechoso con el lugar del hecho”.
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Leavitt brushes off Lutnick–Epstein heat with list of administration wins media ignored before ending briefing
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White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt brushed off a question about Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick’s relationship with Jeffrey Epstein during a press briefing Tuesday before redirecting her response and mentioning the administration’s recent wins before ending a news conference.
«Secretary Lutnick remains a very important member of President Trump’s team, and the president fully supports the secretary,» Leavitt said Tuesday when asked if President Donald Trump and the White House still support the Commerce chief after his testimony before the Senate Appropriations subcommittee Tuesday.
Leavitt was repeatedly questioned about Epstein during the news conference, including regarding Lutnick telling lawmakers Tuesday he visited Epstein’s notorious island while on a family vacation in 2012 but that he otherwise had no relationship with the convicted sex offender.
«My wife was with me, as were my four children and nannies,» he said Tuesday. «I had another couple with. They were there as well with their children, and we had lunch on the island — that is true — for an hour.
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White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the administration continues to back Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick when asked about his ties to Jeffrey Epstein. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
«I did not have any relationship with him. I barely had anything to do with that person, OK?»
Lutnick previously said he cut off contact with Epstein in 2005, but recent document releases from the Department of Justice’s investigations into Epstein show the pair communicated years later. Democrats and other critics have increasingly called for Lutnick’s ouster amid the document release, sparking questions whether the administration continues to support the Commerce chief.
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Leavitt said the administration continues to back Lutnick before launching into a series of wins notched under Trump’s watch that the media did not ask about during the press conference, including the Dow Jones Industrial Average crossing 50,000 points for the first time ever earlier in February.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Tuesday that the Trump administration continues to back Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick when asked about his ties to Jeffrey Epstein. (Elizabeth Frantz/File Photo/Reuters)
«I will just point out that there are a lot of wins in the news this week that people in this room have not asked about because you continue to ask questions about the same subject,» Leavitt said.
«So, let me point them out for you again. On Friday, the Dow shattered 50,000 for the first time ever. This week, the American Society of Plastic Surgeons came out in opposition to gender mutilation surgeries for children. They are the first major medical group to do so.
GHISLAINE MAXWELL PLEADS FIFTH AMENDMENT, DODGES QUESTIONS IN HOUSE OVERSIGHT EPSTEIN PROBE
The Department of Justice released a trove of Epstein documents Dec. 19, 2026, after President Donald Trump signed the Epstein Files Transparency Act in November 2025. (Patrick McMullan via Getty Images)
«A federal appeals court today — nobody asked about that — just upheld the Trump administration’s policy of detaining illegal aliens, validating the strong measures that have driven illegal crossings to historic lows and sent a crystal clear message that, under President Trump, if you enter the country illegally, you will be detained and removed» she continued.
«Again, not a single question about this as the murder rate has plunged to a 125-year low as crime falls across the board thanks to President Trump’s crime crackdown.»
Leavitt added that national median rent prices fell to four-year lows and that mortgage affordability surged to a four-year high as the administration hammers home affordability to ease housing and cost woes.
«There’s a reason why Americans’ trust in mainstream media outlets is at an all-time low. They’re Fake News,» White House spokesman Kush Desai told Fox News Digital later Tuesday when asked about the exchange. «The Trump Administration will never hesitate to share the truth with the American people.»
Leavitt wrapped up the news conference after mentioning the administration’s wins, noting Trump’s busy schedule.
The briefing started roughly 40 minutes late, and Leavitt attributed the delay to a meeting with Trump to review updates on the Nancy Guthrie missing person case. The briefing lasted a total of just over 20 minutes.
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«We’re going to get back to business. The president is very busy today, and you will see him all tomorrow at the event in the East Room touting his administration’s energy policy,» she said.
commerce,jeffrey epstein,karoline leavitt,white house,politics,fox news media
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A government-run health trust in the United Kingdom recently advertised a nursing role focused on supporting families involved in «close-relative marriage,» a practice that often involves first cousins and is linked to higher genetic risks for children due to shared inherited genes, according to health officials.
The full-time position, titled «Neonatal Nurse – Close Relative Marriage,» aims to support families through «informed reproductive decision-making,» according to a job posting from Britain’s public health system, the National Health Service (NHS).
The role has since closed.
«Newborn Services is pleased to announce an exciting brand-new job opportunity for an experienced Neonatal Nurse,» according to the official job description.
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Sign for the NHS National Health Service outside a pharmacy in London, United Kingdom. (Mike Kemp/In Pictures via Getty Images)
Under the role, the nurse would «proactively work with at risk families practising close relative marriage to encourage a greater level of genetic testing and/or genetic awareness/literacy among families where consanguineous related disorders are present,» the description states. Consanguinity refers to relationships in which parents are biologically related, most commonly first cousins.
The posting also states the nurse would support the implementation of a national strategy at the local hospital level, help families make «informed choices in a culturally sensitive empowering way,» initiate «sensitive, appropriate conversations» about recessive genetic disorders, and «contribute to the reduction of health inequalities in infant and child mortality and morbidity.»
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While close-relative marriage is rare in most Western countries, it remains more common in parts of the Middle East and South Asia and within some immigrant communities in Britain, where the NHS has increasingly emphasized outreach, genetic counseling and risk awareness rather than discouraging the practice outright.
Cousin marriage is more prevalent among some communities in Britain, including those of Pakistani and Bangladeshi heritage, according to GB News.
The job posting also listed fluency in Urdu as a desirable skill, a language widely spoken among Pakistani communities in the U.K.
Medical researchers have long documented elevated genetic risks associated with close-relative relationships. A peer-reviewed study published in BMC Medical Genetics found that children born to consanguineous couples face a higher risk of congenital and genetic disorders, particularly autosomal recessive diseases, with the increased risk for children of first cousins estimated at 2% to 4% above the general population.
A sign welcomed visitors to Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust in Manchester, England. (Peter Byrne/PA Wire via Getty Images)
The researchers stressed that the vast majority of children born to related parents are healthy, but noted that genetic risk can vary widely between families and may be significantly higher in a minority of cases, depending on shared inherited DNA. The study also found it is not currently possible to predict which couples face the highest risk.
Emma Schubart, a research fellow at the Henry Jackson Society, warned that specialized NHS outreach risks normalizing close-relative relationships.
«The NHS’s creation of specialized nursing roles risks normalizing a practice that significantly elevates genetic risks, including a doubled likelihood of serious birth defects and heightened susceptibility to common diseases like type 2 diabetes,» Schubart told Fox News Digital in a statement. «For example, among British Pakistanis, a community where consanguinity rates remain high, individuals face 3–6 times the average UK risk of type 2 diabetes, with 5–18% of cases directly attributable to inbreeding. This translates to thousands of additional diabetes cases nationwide, placing undue strain on an already overburdened NHS.»
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The Union Jack is photographed against a partly-cloudy sky. (Photo by Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images)
According to GB News, recent NHS guidance has described concerns about genetic risks from cousin marriage as exaggerated, a characterization that has drawn criticism from campaigners who argue the approach risks normalizing a practice that places avoidable burdens on children and public health systems.
The role was advertised by Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, one of the United Kingdom’s largest NHS trusts, which operates 10 hospitals across Greater Manchester and Trafford in northwest England, according to the trust’s website. The job posting also sought candidates who «value diversity and difference,» according to the advert.
Fox News Digital reached out to Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust for comment.
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