A devastating attack on two villages in North Kivu province, Democratic Republic of Congo, has claimed the lives of over 100 Christians.
The Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), a rebel group linked to ISIS, stormed the communities of Ntoyo and Potodu late Monday night, targeting a funeral wake.
Rev. Mbula Samaki from a local church recounted the brutal scene
“They arrived and started killing. They coldly murdered 26 Christians. Those who tried to flee were shot dead and others were killed with machetes.” Parish priest Abbé Paluku Nzalamingi described the aftermath, saying, “Women on mattresses in the living room…others in the corridor, still others outside in the plot. In any case, many had been shot dead.”
At least 70 Christians were killed in Ntoyo, with
further deaths reported in Potodu
Homes, motorbikes, and vehicles were burned, while over 100 people were kidnapped
The massacre is the third major attack in the region in recent weeks, with militants killing nearly 50 Christians during an overnight prayer meeting in July.
Amora Faraja, spokesperson for Open Doors, expressed concern
“The Church is really shaken by all these attacks because it’s not the first, it’s not the second, it’s not the tenth. It’s attacks that come over and again, they are repeated…some are just crying out ‘God, until when?'” Local pastors report many families have fled their villages in fear.
Rev. Alili, whose church has taken in displaced people, added: “They are not willing to sleep in the church for fear of being attacked like those who were killed in a wake…Lord, please come to our aid.”
The DRC has seen a surge in violence against Christians, with the ADF being one of the deadliest armed groups in the region.