~ 70 Christians beheaded in one DRC church attack on top of millions of others killed ~
‘It’s time for more than prayers; we must demand an all-African military force to intervene in this failed state, to restore order and save countless more people from becoming victims of this endless cycle of bloodshed’
International Christian Concern (ICC) (persecution.org) is heartbroken to report a brutal massacre in Kasanga village, where 70 Christians were found beheaded inside an abandoned church. These individuals were taken hostage by the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), an Islamist extremist group linked to the Islamic State (IS) and subjected to days of terror before their execution. This horrific act is part of an ongoing series of violent attacks by the ADF in North Kivu, leading to mass displacement and a deepening humanitarian crisis in the region.
The incident in Kasanga is a grim testament to the escalating persecution faced by Christian communities in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The ADF’s strategy appears to involve targeting religious groups to instill fear, disrupt community life and assert control over contested territories.
Jeff King, president of ICC and one of the world’s leading experts on religious persecution said, “This recent massacre, where 70 Christians lost their lives, is not an isolated incident but part of a grim tapestry of violence that has claimed over six million lives in the DRC over two decades of on-and-off war. The vast majority of the DRC’s residents are Christian, so this is a religious genocide carried out by radical Islamic terrorists (the ADF).
“It’s time for more than prayers; we must demand an all-African military force to intervene in this failed state, to restore order and save countless more people from becoming victims of this endless cycle of bloodshed.”
Significance of the genocide in the DRC:
- Human rights catastrophe: This massacre amplifies the urgent human rights concerns in the DRC, specifically the vulnerability of religious minorities to extremist violence.
- Security challenges: The attack highlights the severe security vacuum in the region, calling for an immediate and robust international response to protect civilians.
- Humanitarian emergency: With villages being evacuated en masse, there’s an acute need for humanitarian aid to support the displaced and those left in fear.
- Global call for action: ICC urges the international community to not only condemn this act but to actively engage in strategies to prevent future atrocities, support peace initiatives and ensure justice for the victims.
Calls to action
- Support and prayer: ICC calls upon the global Christian community to join in prayer for those who have lost loved ones, for the survivors and for peace in the DRC. Financial and material support for those displaced is also critical.
- Advocacy for peace and justice: ICC encourages advocacy for increased international pressure to address the root causes of this violence, support local peacebuilding efforts and ensure that the perpetrators are brought to justice. ICC specifically advocates for an all-African military force to stabilize the region.
- Military intervention: It’s imperative that the African Standby (military) Force (ASF) is mobilized to intervene in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). This unified African response is crucial to restore peace, protect vulnerable populations, particularly religious minorities and halt the cycle of violence that has plagued the region for decades. The ASF’s engagement could mark a significant step towards continental solidarity and action in securing a stable future for the DRC.
For additional context and ongoing updates on the situation in DRC, please visit persecution.org.
Jeff King has served as International Christian Concern (ICC) (persecution.org) president since 2003 and is one of the world’s top experts on religious persecution.
