Islamic militants brutally beheaded 70 Christians in a church in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), marking one of the deadliest attacks against believers in recent years. The massacre occurred on February 13, 2025, when members of the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), an ISIS-affiliated terror group, raided the village of Mayba. The attack began with the abduction of 20 villagers, who were ordered to leave their homes quietly. Later, an additional 50 Christians were captured and taken to a Protestant church in the town of Kasanga, where they were executed.
The ADF has been responsible for a series of deadly attacks targeting Christians in the DRC, as part of its ongoing jihadist insurgency in central Africa. Survivors of the attack recounted the horror, stating that the militants spared no one, including women and children. Security forces were unable to reach the victims immediately, leaving families devastated and in fear of further violence. Due to the dangers in the region, it took nearly a week for the victims to be buried.
A local church elder described the community’s grief, saying, “We don’t know what to do or how to pray; we’ve had enough of massacres.” The attack underscores the growing persecution of Christians in the DRC, where Islamist militants have increasingly targeted villages, churches, and Christian communities. The United Nations estimates that more than 6,000 people have been killed in similar attacks in the past two years.
Despite the severity of the massacre, mainstream media outlets have provided little to no coverage of the tragedy. Christian organizations and humanitarian groups are urging global leaders to take stronger action against the rising wave of religious persecution in Africa. Calls for intervention have grown as reports continue to emerge of Christians being targeted across Nigeria, Somalia, and other parts of the continent.
The international community has yet to respond decisively to the crisis in the DRC. Meanwhile, Christian communities remain on high alert, fearing future attacks. The massacre in Kasanga is a grim reminder of the increasing threats faced by believers in regions dominated by Islamist insurgencies.
