ISIS Affiliates Behead 70 Christians In Democratic Republic Of Congo

There are reports that some 90 Christians have been murdered in the last month in the northeastern region of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Of these, 70 were found beheaded at an evangelical Christian church in Mayba in the territory of Lubero. Terrorists came to homes in Mayba, shouting  “Get out, get out and don’t make any noise.” At least 20 Christians were rounded up and taken to the church on Sunday, February 16. Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) militants then surrounded the village and captured a further 50 believers.

According to the Open Doors charity, Muhindo Musunzi, director of the Kombo primary school, said that prior to this incident, churches, schools and health centers had shut their doors because of the chaotic security situation. “We had to move all activities towards Vunying,” he said. A church elder observed, “We don’t know what to do or how to pray; we’ve had enough of massacres.”  As of Feb. 18, some families had not been able to bury their dead because of insecurity in the area. Many Christians have now fled the area for their safety. Until the latest massacre, the greatest number of killings took place in the province of Ituri, which saw 28 murders in attacks on three villages near Ndalya.

Open Doors reported that this incident is the latest of an escalating threat posed by ADF militants. In 2014, the group intensified attacks in Beni territory in North Kivu province, and since then attacks have spread to the territories of Irumu and Mambasa in Ituri province, and now it’s affecting Lubero. In the last month alone, the group have killed more than 200 people in Baswagha chiefdom, the charity reported. 

DRC rose six places to number 35 in the latest World Watch List for persecution of Christians. Last year, 355 were killed for their faith, compared with 261 the previous year, while an estimated 10,000 were internally displaced, which is ten times more than 2023, Open Doors reported. Homes have been looted and burned, schools relocated, churches and health facilities closed, and several Christian villages have been abandoned altogether. The recent activities of the M23 rebel group, supported by Rwanda, has added to the terror. 

“Open Doors strongly condemns this heinous act of violence against civilians and calls upon civil societies, governments and international organisations to prioritise civilian protection in eastern DRC where armed groups, such as the ADF, are operating,” said John Samuel, a legal expert for the charity’s work in sub-Saharan Africa. “The violence takes place in a context of impunity, where almost no one is held accountable,” he continued. “This massacre is a clear indicator of widespread human rights violations against civilians and vulnerable communities, often targeting Christians, perpetrated by ADF – a [so-called Islamic State] affiliate.”

Since Christmas 2024, at least 237 Christians have been killed by ISCAP (also known ADF), according to the Barnabas Fund charity. Almost 6,000 believers have died at their hands since the group pledged allegiance to ISIS in 2017. This comes as north-eastern region of the  DRC has been thrown into turmoil by conflict between the M23 armed rebel group (supported by Rwanda) and the DRC military. The M23 seized control of Goma, the capital of North Kivu, on January 27. The rebels then captured Bukavu, the capital of South Kivu Province, on February 17.  At least 50 people were killed, women raped, and houses burned by yet another armed group, CODECO, in the Djaiba region of Ituri on February 10.

Also, three Christian humanitarian workers from Swiss Church Aid were killed in North Kivu on February 7. The identity of the attackers is unknown.