70 Christians Beheaded in Brutal DRC Church Attack by Suspected ADF Militants

In a tragic incident on February 13, 2025, seventy Christians were found beheaded inside a Protestant church in Kasanga, a village in the Lubero Territory of North Kivu Province, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The victims had been abducted earlier that day from the nearby village of Mayba by suspected militants of the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), an Islamist extremist group with ties to the Islamic State.

The assailants initially entered Mayba around 4 a.m., capturing at least 20 residents. Later that evening, they returned, seizing an additional 50 individuals. The abductees were taken to the church in Kasanga, where they were executed. Due to ongoing security concerns, families were unable to immediately retrieve and bury their loved ones.

This massacre is part of a broader pattern of escalating violence in the DRC’s northeastern regions. The ADF has intensified its attacks in recent years, targeting Christian communities and contributing to the displacement of thousands. In the past month alone, over 200 people have been killed in Baswagha Chiefdom, leading to the DRC’s rise to 35th on the World Watch List of countries where Christians face the most persecution.

International Christian Concern (ICC) highlighted the severity of the situation, noting that over 6 million lives have been lost in the DRC due to ongoing conflicts over the past two decades. ICC President Jeff King described the recent massacre as “part of a grim tapestry of violence” and called for a coordinated African military intervention to address the crisis.

Local church leaders are urging the global Christian community to stand in solidarity through prayer and advocacy. John Samuel, Open Doors’ legal expert for sub-Saharan Africa, emphasized the need for “civil societies, governments, and international organizations to prioritize civilian protection in eastern DRC.”

The ADF, originally a Ugandan Islamist group, has been active since 1996 and expanded its insurgency into the DRC. In 2014, the group intensified attacks in North Kivu Province, and in 2020, it aligned itself with the Islamic State’s Central Africa Province. The recent surge in violence has led to widespread displacement, with many Christians fleeing their homes in search of safety.

As the situation remains dire, there is a pressing call for international intervention to halt the atrocities and restore peace to the region.