70 Christians were reportedly executed by Islamist militants in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
Multiple organisations that track terrorism and religious persecution have confirmed that the attack was carried out by the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), a group linked to the Islamic State (ISIS).
Despite the severity of the atrocity, the global response has been muted.
According to Open Doors U.S., an organisation monitoring Christian persecution, the victims were from the Lubero district. Armed militants allegedly stormed their homes in the early hours of February 13, forcing them out while shouting commands to leave.
The captives were then taken to a small church in the village of Kasanga, a place that had once served as a sanctuary for worshippers.
Reports state that inside the church, the victims were bound before being brutally executed by beheading. Local community protection leader Vianney Vitswamba confirmed that the bodies of all 70 victims were discovered within the church, their hands tied.
The tragedy did not end the local Islamist militants reportedly prohibited Christian leaders from burying the dead for approximately five days.
The ADF, which has been responsible for numerous attacks in the region, aims to impose strict Islamist rule over the majority-Christian population of northeastern DRC.
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John Samuel, a legal expert with Open Doors focused on sub-Saharan Africa, emphasised the ongoing violence in the region, citing a lack of accountability.
“This massacre highlights the severe human rights violations against civilians, particularly targeting Christians,” he stated.
Hungarian State Secretary for the Aid of Persecuted Christians, Tristan Azbej, condemned the attack, posting on social media, “Horrified to learn about the 70 Christian martyrs beheaded by terrorists in a church.
Hungary stands in solidarity with persecuted Christians… The world must recognise and act against Christian persecution.”
Open Doors UK also weighed in, stressing that Christians in the DRC face relentless violence at the hands of Islamist extremists, particularly in the eastern provinces.
The group highlighted how ADF militants, aligned with ISIS, routinely abduct and murder Christians while attacking places of worship, fuelling fear and displacement.
This massacre is just one part of a larger pattern of persecution. A recent Open Doors U.S. report revealed that over 380 million Christians worldwide endure significant levels of discrimination or outright violence due to their faith.
The impact of this attack has left local Christian communities devastated. “We do not know what to do or how to pray; we have had enough of massacres,” one church elder from CECA20 told reporters. “May God’s will alone be done.”
Despite the scale and brutality of the killings, international media coverage has been scarce. Commentators like Liz Wheeler have called attention to the lack of widespread reporting, questioning why such a heinous crime has not received more global outrage.
