Source: www.persecution.org
Date: March 13, 2023
DRC (International Christian Concern) – In the early hours of the morning on Thursday, March 9, militants belonging to the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) attacked a village in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). At least 36 people were killed during the overnight attack.
The attack, during which the militants targeted the village of Mukondi, just south of the city of Beni in North Kivu province, took place in an area that has been plagued with violent rebel activity. The region has been under military administration since 2021 as officials attempt to restore order.
The attack was attributed to the ADF because no bullets were fired. Rather, villagers were trapped in their burning houses or murdered with machetes and hatchets.
The DRC, along with Uganda, which frequently suffers from attacks due to ADF incursions across its border, launched a joint military initiative against ADF militants in November of 2021. However, their attempts to stamp out the violence seem unsuccessful, as the number of attacks has increased in recent months.
The ADF started in the 1990s as a force opposing the alleged mistreatment of Muslims by the Ugandan government. They later expanded their operation to the DRC, where they have now grown and spread in the provinces of Ituri and North- Kivu. It is the most violent of the over 120 armed groups in eastern DRC. ICC has previously reported on the brutal crimes the group has committed against Congolese civilians, including many Christians.
The Islamic-affiliated ADF made ICC’s 2022 comprehensive Persecutor of the Year report for worst ‘entities.’
HOW TO PRAY: Pray for peace and comfort for those who are grieving. Pray for healing for the injured and traumatized. Pray for an end to ADF-led violence throughout the DRC.