Persecution of Christians in the Democratic Republic of Congo: Christians are nearly 94% of the population, but as in Nigeria and elsewhere in Africa, Islamic jihadis are increasingly aggressive.
There is in Congo a small indigenous Orthodox Church under the jurisdiction of the Patriarchate of Alexandria. Please pray fervently for an end to this cruelty and bloodlust, and ask our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ to enable the Orthodox Church in Congo to enjoy peace and security, and to flourish, bringing the light of Christ to this troubled region.
For more ChristianPersecution.com coverage of the persecution of Christians in the Democratic Republic of Congo, see here.
“Eleven Congolese Christians killed in ADF Islamist militant attack,” Barnabas Fund, February 25, 2020:
Eleven Christians were killed in an attack by the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) in Mutwanga district, north-east Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), on 18 February.
A local Christian leader contacted Barnabas to confirm that the ADF deliberately targeted Christians in the attack.
Attacks by the ADF are common in the region, reported a Barnabas contact. “There is a pattern, every time the military in the DRC mount an operation against the ADF, the civilians are attacked as retribution,” he explained.
Many people, including Christians, have fled the area to Kasindi town, about 30 miles away, and some have taken refuge in neighbouring Uganda.
The ADF Islamist militant group has wracked majority-Christian DRC with violence for more than 20 years, killing many Christians. Archdeacon of Eringeti, Ngulongo Year Batsemire (60), was murdered by ADF militants on 29 January, after refusing their demands he convert to Islam.
Earlier the same day, ADF militants murdered at least 30 people in a series of raids on four villages in Beni territory, Nord Kivu province. ADF militants repeatedly carry out abductions and target Christian property. Over 200 Christians, including women and children were abducted and a church mission hospital was looted by the militants, during a raid on Boga city, Ituri province, on 23 August 2019.
