ISIS kills dozens of Christians in the Democratic Republic of Congo; churches are closed

The Islamic State has claimed responsibility for killing dozens of people in a series of violent attacks spanning several days in several villages in the Democratic Republic of Congo. At least 80 Christians are among the dead, according to military and local sources.

One of the deadliest days of the series of attacks was June 7, when suspected fighters from the Islamic State-affiliated Allied Democratic Forces (ALDF) launched coordinated attacks on several villages in the Beni area of ​​the predominantly Christian province of North Kivu.

On Friday, the Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack that killed more than 40 people in the village of Mayikengo in the Lubero region earlier this week. Citing figures from local authorities, Agence France-Presse reported that nearly 150 people have been killed by the Allied Democratic Forces since the beginning of June.

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Open Doors, a watchdog that monitors the persecution of Christians in over 60 countries, responded to the attacks in a statement seen by The Christian Post, saying that at least 80 of those killed were Christians. While ADF attacks in the Democratic Republic of Congo are nothing new, Open Doors reports that the recent violence is “comparatively more deadly” and particularly “more aggressive against Christians” than in previous years.

“Christians have been forced to flee and some churches in affected villages have been closed as a result of the recent attacks. These unabated attacks come at a time when Christian farmers are preparing for the harvest,” said Ryan Brown, CEO of Open Doors US.

“The result is that many families no longer have the means to feed their families. And the unprepared expulsion is putting a strain on the livelihoods of Christian families who are now fleeing to unknown countries.”

According to the U.S. State Department, over a dozen armed groups and 100 criminal gangs and militias are active in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. The ADF, also referred to as the Islamic State Central African Province and sometimes as ISIS-DRC, was designated a foreign terrorist organization by the State Department in 2021. The group pledged allegiance to the Islamic State in 2017 after years of activity in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

“ISIS-DRC has historically relied on local resources and the international connections of former leader Jamil Mukulu for fundraising, but since 2017 has received funding from ISIS-affiliated funding networks,” a U.S. State Department fact sheet said. “About one-third of ISIS-DRC members, including top leaders, are of Ugandan origin.”

The Open Doors World Watch List ranks the Democratic Republic of Congo as the 41st most dangerous country for Christians. The eastern regions face acute threats from militant Islamists, organized crime and local armed groups. The group called for increased international support and concerted efforts to address the crisis affecting Christian communities.

“The frequency with which Christian communities in eastern DRC continue to be attacked by the ADF is appalling. These attacks continue unabated, displacing thousands of people from their homes, their fields and their livelihoods,” said Jo Newhouse, Open Doors’ spokesperson for sub-Saharan Africa. “We call on the international community to do everything in its power to ensure that the DRC government diligently and transparently protects all affected communities and that displaced people receive the support they need in these circumstances.”

Last week, 41 people were killed and several injured on the night of June 7, underlining a horrifying toll of more than 80 deaths in just four days, Lieutenant Colonel Mak Hazukay, a spokesman for the Congolese army, told Reuters.

The villages of Masala, Mapasana and Mahini were the worst affected, with gunmen rampaging violently with rifles and machetes. Fabien Kakule, a local official, told Reuters that residents were attacked indiscriminately and a local health center was set on fire.

In addition, 11 bodies were discovered in Kabweli, Mamulese and Mununze villages. Later, 13 more bodies were found in Makobu village, according to local leaders and civil society members involved in the search and recovery of the bodies.

In addition to the killings, nine people were injured in the attacks.

The ADF, originally a rebel group from Uganda, has significantly expanded its base of operations in eastern Congo.

According to Armed Conflict Location and Event Data, the ADF has become the deadliest threat to civilians in the region, with over 1,000 deaths reported last year alone. Their strategic positions have also led to increased cross-border attacks into Uganda.

EU foreign policy chief Nabila Massrali told Reuters that terrorist groups were “taking advantage of the chaos to expand their influence in an already very unstable region.” She stressed that a political solution was needed to counter the rising tide of extremism and violence.

Former North Kivu governor Julien Paluku expressed concern on social media about the national government’s response to the escalating violence.

“People have the impression, rightly or wrongly, that they are abandoned to their sad fate,” he was quoted as saying.