Fourteen Christians were beheaded in two separate attacks in north-eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) as the Islamist insurgency expands its scope.
Islamic State Central Africa Province (ISCAP) claimed the killing of six believers on June 3, followed by another eight on June 24.
Both massacres took place in the village of Mungbere, Watsa Territory, Haut-Uélé Province. It appears to be the first time that ISCAP fighters have targeted Christians in Haut-Uélé.
Islamic State Central Africa Province has killed around 1,155 Christians in north-eastern D. R. Congo since December 2024. [Image credit: Middle East Media Research Institute]
Security experts have assessed that the ISCAP expansion into Haut-Uélé has been driven by counter-terrorism operations in the terrorist group’s strongholds further south.
In addition, the shift may be an attempt by ISCAP fighters to move away from the Ebola-affected provinces of Ituri and North Kivu. No confirmed cases of Ebola have yet been reported in Haut-Uélé, while 1,020 of the 1,118 cases confirmed across north-eastern DRC have been reported in Ituri.
In early June, ISCAP fighters burned down 80 “houses of Christians” in separate attacks elsewhere in Haut-Uélé.
Death Toll Rises
ISCAP is still maintaining some operations further south.
In attacks on June 11 and June 13 in Beni Territory, North Kivu, 11 Christians were shot and killed. Another believer was beheaded in Mayangose, Ituri, on June 20.
ISCAP has now claimed the killing of around 1,155 Christians in north-eastern DRC since its campaign of jihadi violence escalated in December 2024.
Its fighters will typically demand that communities convert to Islam, accept dhimmi status as subjugated (supposedly protected people), or face death.
In classical Islam, Christians and Jews (regarded as “people of the book”) have the option of becoming dhimmi and living under Islamic rule. Accepting such a status involves following many humiliating rules and regulations, including paying the jizya tax.
Instability caused by ISCAP and other armed groups (such as the M23 Movement) is severely hampering emergency response efforts following confirmation of the Ebola outbreak on May 15.
There have so far been 291 confirmed deaths from Ebola in north-eastern DRC.
How You Can Pray
Ask the Lord to prevent the spread of Islamist violence in north-eastern D. R. Congo. Pray that the terrorists who threaten the lives and the faith of His people will be defeated. Pray too for efforts to respond to Ebola, currently hampered by armed conflict and instability. Ask that our brothers and sisters will remain strong in Christ despite their suffering.
