(LifeSiteNews) — At least 64 people were killed in an anti-Christian massacre carried out by an Islamist group in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

According to a report by Aid to the Church in Need (ACN), the attack took place on September 8 and 9 in Ntoyo, in the parish of Saint Joseph of Manguredjipa, in the province of North Kivu.

The murderous rampage was carried out by the Allied Democratic Forces, an Islamic militia originally from Uganda.

Local sources say at least 64 were killed in the massacre in which the attackers used firearms and hammers and selectively lit certain homes on fire, which suggests a premeditated and targeted terror attack on Christians. Many of the victims were murdered while taking part in a vigil for the dead.

ACN denounced the massacre and expressed its solidarity and “deep concern” for the families of the victims:

In this context of pain, ACN echoes the condolence message sent by Bishop Melchisédech Sikuli Paluko of Butembo-Beni:

“To all the families affected by this umpteenth and horrible carnage […] and to all the faithful of the parish, we express our spiritual closeness. May God, the Master of Life, strengthen us through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, consoler of the afflicted, and lead us beyond the desert of present-day suffering to lasting peace.”

The Allied Democratic Forces is affiliated with the Islamic State’s Central Africa Province (IS-CAP) and has been responsible for several massacres in eastern Congo, “which have been characterized by their extreme violence against civilians, especially Christians,” ACN writes.

The attacks on September 8 and 9 mark the most recent in a series of atrocities in eastern Congo. At least 40 people were killed during a prayer vigil on July 27 in a church in Kamanda, Ituri. In February, over 70 dead bodies were discovered in a Protestant church in Lubero, many of which had been decapitated.

READ: Congo bishops condemn lack of response after Islamic terrorists kill over 40 Catholics

ACN described the situation in eastern Congo as “dire,” as violence has intensified, leading to the displacement of large parts of the population and a severe humanitarian crisis. The attacks and massacres on Christians and other civilians have continued despite the heavy presence of Congolese armed forces and Ugandan troops, as well as a U.N. mission.

The Congolese Bishops’ Conference described the continuous attacks as “odious massacres” carried out against the faithful.

Eastern Congo suffers under the terror of over 120 militias and violent groups that operate with impunity in the region.