In a gruesome act of terror, 70 Christians were beheaded in a church in the Democratic Republic of Congo, leaving the world stunned and calling for urgent international intervention.
Quick Takes
- Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), linked to ISIS, killed 70 Christians in a Protestant church in Kasanga, DRC.
- The massacre occurred on February 13, with victims taken hostage from surrounding villages.
- Families of the deceased were too frightened to bury the dead, and many surviving Christians have fled.
- The incident has received little international media coverage, despite its severity.
- Calls for global recognition and action against Christian persecution have intensified.
Brutal Attack Shocks the Christian Community
On February 13, the village of Maybe in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) became the site of a horrific attack that has sent shockwaves through the Christian community worldwide. The Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), a militant group with ties to the Islamic State, targeted Christian villagers, forcibly taking them to an abandoned Protestant church in Kasanga. There, in an act of unspeakable cruelty, they beheaded 70 individuals, leaving a scene of carnage that has horrified even those familiar with the region’s ongoing violence.
Please pray the 70 Christians that were beheaded may rest in peace.
Please pray for the grieving families. pic.twitter.com/5gEHCXz3qF— James Blazsik (@BlazsikJames) February 21, 2025
The brutal nature of the attack has left the local community paralyzed with fear. Families of the victims, too terrified to claim and bury their loved ones, have instead chosen to flee the area. This mass exodus of Christians from the region underscores the grave threat posed by militant groups like the ADF, who seek to establish a caliphate by overthrowing the governments of both the DRC and neighboring Uganda.
A Crisis Ignored by the World
Despite the magnitude of this atrocity, the international community’s response has been alarmingly muted. Few public officials have commented on the massacre, and media coverage has been sparse, leaving many to question why such a heinous act of violence has not garnered more attention on the global stage.
“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.” – Open Doors legal expert John Samuel
The lack of international response is particularly concerning given the escalating violence in the region. In the past month alone, the ADF has been responsible for the deaths of at least 200 people in northeastern DRC. This latest attack is not an isolated incident but part of a larger pattern of violence that has plagued the country for decades.
Why isn’t the media talking about the 70 Christians that were just beheaded?https://t.co/16Dy1vOPpv
— Not the Bee (@Not_the_Bee) February 21, 2025
A Call for International Action
The massacre has prompted urgent calls for international intervention from various quarters. Hungary’s State Secretary for the Aid of Persecuted Christians, Tristan Azbej, expressed horror at the news and emphasized the need for global recognition and action against Christian persecution.
“Horrified to learn about the 70 Christian martyrs beheaded by terrorists in a church in Kasanga, DRC. Hungary stands in solidarity with the persecuted Christians BUT we need more … the world needs to recognize and act against Christian persecution.” – Tristan Azbej
The DRC, a predominantly Christian nation, has been grappling with instability and violence for years. Various rebel groups, including the M23, have captured key cities and displaced over 100,000 people. The ongoing conflict has claimed over 6 million lives over two decades, with the violence increasingly taking on the character of religious genocide perpetrated by radical Islamic terrorists.
A Desperate Plea for Help
As the international community grapples with how to respond to this crisis, the people of the DRC are left to face the stark reality of life under constant threat. The words of a local church elder capture the desperation felt by many in the region:
As the world watches, the question remains: Will this latest atrocity finally spur the international community into action, or will the cries of the persecuted Christians in the DRC continue to fall on deaf ears? The time for decisive intervention to protect civilians and stabilize the region is long overdue.
Sources:
- Jihadists Behead 70 Christians in DR Congo Church
- 70 Christians Beheaded In Congo Church
- 70 Christians Beheaded in Church: What We Know
