More than 70 decapitated bodies were discovered on February 14 in a Protestant church in Kasanga, near Maiba village in North Kivu’s Lubero Territory, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
The victims, including women, children, and the elderly, were reportedly taken hostage by the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), an Islamist group affiliated with the Islamic State, between February 12 and 15. Their bodies were found tied up and beheaded inside the church.
Local sources suspect the ADF, a Ugandan-origin Islamist group linked to the Islamic State, as well as local armed groups, of being responsible for the massacre. These groups have maintained a climate of terror in the region for several months.
The DRC has been plagued by continuous conflict for over three decades, with violence surging recently due to the advancement of rebel groups like the March 23 Movement (M23). The ADF’s activities have prompted Ugandan forces to deploy to eastern Congo to assist Congolese troops in combating the insurgency.
Open Doors, an organization supporting persecuted Christians, condemned the attack, stating: “Open Doors strongly condemns this heinous act of violence against civilians and calls upon civil societies, governments, and international organizations to prioritize civilian protection in eastern DRC where armed groups, such as the ADF, are operating.”
