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By Jordan King
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At least 70 Christians were killed at a funeral for one of their church members in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), a Christian advocacy group said.
The group had gathered in the village of Ntoyo on September 8 when Allied Democratic Forces rebels, also known as Islamic State Central Africa Province (ISCAP), attacked with guns and machetes, according to Open Doors, which advocates for persecuted Christians around the world.
ISCAP claimed responsibility for the attack, saying they killed nearly 100 Christians, according to U.S.-based SITE Intelligence Group, which monitors militant activities, Reuters reported.
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Why It Matters
The attack reflects a worsening pattern of religiously targeted violence in eastern Congo, where Christian communities are increasingly vulnerable.
Even though the DRC is a majority-Christian country, Christians are "increasingly vulnerable to persecution," Open Doors says.
"Christians face severe persecution and violence frequently from Islamist militants the ADF, especially in the eastern region," the organization says in its World Watch breakdown on the DRC. "Allied with the Islamic State group, the ADF abduct and kill Christians and attack churches, leading to widespread terror, insecurity and displacement."
What To Know
In addition to the killings, 100 people were kidnapped and 16 houses were burned to the ground, according to Open Doors. SITE said 30 houses were burned.
"They arrived and started killing," said Rev. Mbula Samaki of the 55e CEBCE church in Mangurejipa. "Those who tried to flee were shot dead, and others were killed with machetes."
ADF militants had "already committed the massacre" by the time Congolese soldiers intervened, army spokesperson Lieutenant Marc Elongo said.
At least 18 other people were killed in a separate suspected ADF attack in a different village, authorities told Reuters.
The ADF, recognized by Islamic State as an affiliate, started as a rebel force in Uganda but is now based in the forests of the neighboring DRC.
The DRC is listed as No. 35 on Open Doors' World Watch list, which says that "Christians face difficulties and violent attacks from Islamist militants who are particularly active in the North Kivu province, in the eastern part of the country."
The country rose six places on the list in the past year because of an increase in this type of violence.
What People Are Saying
Local administrator Macaire Sivikunula told Reuters: "The victims were caught off guard at a mourning ceremony in the village of Ntoyo at around 9 p.m., and most of them were killed with machetes."
Parish priest Abbé Paluku Nzalamingi told Open Doors: "It's horrible what I saw—women on mattresses in the living room...others in the corridor, still, others outside in the plot. Some bodies are on the road, in plots close to the center of Ntoyo. They killed almost all the people gathered at the place of mourning."
What Happens Next
Despite recent joint military campaigns involving DRC and Ugandan forces, the ADF remains active and deadly. As attacks continue, aid organizations and church leaders are calling for more robust international engagement and protection for vulnerable communities.
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