JOHANNESBURG – Islamist militants in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), affiliated with ISIS, have reportedly beheaded 70 Christians, according to multiple terrorism and persecution monitoring groups. The international community has largely remained silent regarding this atrocity.
Open Doors U.S. reports that the 70 Christians were initially captured by Allied Democratic Forces rebels. These individuals, all believed to be from the Lubero district, were forcibly removed from their homes around February 13, with the rebels ordering them to leave.
The hostages were then transported to a small Christian church in Kasanga. Inside this church, they were bound and subsequently beheaded, according to reports.
Vianney Vitswamba, a coordinator for a local community protection committee, stated that 70 bodies were discovered tied up inside the church, as reported by the Global Fight Against Terrorism Funding organization (GFATF).
Sources indicate that local Islamist militants prevented Christian leaders from burying the deceased for approximately five days.
Reports indicate that Christians comprise 95% of the DRC’s population. However, analysts suggest that the Islamist ADF aims to transform the northeast region of the country into an Islamic Caliphate, compelling the predominantly Christian population to adhere to strict Muslim practices.
John Samuel, Open Doors legal expert for sub-Saharan Africa, emphasized the impunity surrounding the violence. He stated that the massacre highlights widespread human rights violations against civilians and vulnerable communities, particularly Christians, perpetrated by the Islamic State-affiliated ADF.
Tristan Azbej, Hungary’s State Secretary for the Aid of Persecuted Christians, expressed his horror on X, noting the beheading of 70 Christian martyrs in a church. He affirmed Hungary’s solidarity with persecuted Christians and urged global recognition and action against Christian persecution.
Open Doors UK stated that Christians in the DRC endure severe persecution and violence, especially in the eastern region, often from Islamist militants like the ADF. Allied with the Islamic State group, the ADF abducts and kills Christians and attacks churches, fostering widespread terror, insecurity, and displacement.
Christians globally face increasing persecution. Open Doors US reported in January 2025 that over 380 million Christians worldwide experienced at least a “high level” of persecution and discrimination due to their faith.
Local Christians are reportedly in despair, expressing their exhaustion with the massacres and uncertainty about how to pray. They expressed that only God’s will be done.
Despite the horrific nature and scale of the killings, media coverage has been limited. American political commentator Liz Wheeler questioned the silence of mainstream media, asking why there was no outrage over the beheading of 70 Christian men, women, and children with ties to ISIS.
Additionally, Rwanda-backed M23 rebels have reportedly entered Bukavu, the second-largest city in North-Eastern DRC, following their capture of Goma on the Rwanda border.
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