The Persecution Sign Of The Times:

70 Christians In Congo Church Found Beheaded In Devastating Massacre By Islamic Terrorists

Seventy Christians have been found beheaded in a church in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), in what’s the latest devastating attack on believers in the northeast of the country.

According to field sources, at around 4 am last Thursday (13 February), suspected militants from the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) – a group with ties to so-called Islamic State (IS) – approached homes in Mayba in the territory of Lubero, saying: “Get out, get out and don’t make any noise.” Twenty Christian men and women came out and were captured.

Shaken by this incident, people from the local community in Mayba later gathered to work out how to release those held captive. However, ADF militants surrounded the village and captured a further 50 believers.

All 70 of those kidnapped were taken to a Protestant church in Kasanga where they were tragically killed.

Muhindo Musunzi, director of the Kombo primary school [which belongs to the CECA20 church], says that prior to this incident, churches, schools, and health centres had all shut their doors because of the chaotic security situation. “We had to move all activities towards Vunying,” he said.

Field sources report that, until Tuesday, 18 February, 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.

“We don’t know what to do or how to pray; we’ve had enough of massacres,” says an elder of the CECA20 church. “May God’s will alone be done.”

Rise in violence and internal displacement

This latest awful incident is a continuation of the escalating threat posed by ADF militants in the country’s northeast region. 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, according to a local news website.

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