Content warning: News article relating to violence and death.
On Monday night, 8 September, members of the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), an Islamic State (IS) affiliated rebel group, attacked the communities of Ntoyo and Potodu in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). More than 70 Christians were killed in Ntoyo, and at least 30 Christians were killed in Potodu, making a total of at least 100 in two days.
Videos shared via messaging apps show the bloodbath in Ntoyo: dead bodies strewn on the ground and stacked in mud-brick huts, all while they gathered at a funeral wake service of one of their Catholic church members. The surviving families’ agonising shrieks can be heard in the video, their pain palpable at the sight of another senseless attack on their community.
“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,” Macaire Sivikunula, a local administrator told Reuters news.
“The casualty as of now stands at more than 70 Christians killed, at least 100 kidnapped, 16 houses, 8 motorbikes, and 2 vehicles burnt. It is horrible,” shares local pastor, Reverend Mbula.
The cleric himself narrowly escaped the Ntoyo attack. “God still has a mission for me; this incident happened when I had just passed through Ntoyo. After less than 30 minutes, we heard about the attack,” he told a local Field partner over the phone.
“It’s horrible what I saw. They killed almost all the people gathered at the place of mourning,” shares Abbé Paluku Nzalamingi, parish priest of Manguredjipa, who went to the scene of the tragedy.
“Women on mattresses in the living room…others in the corridor, still others outside in the plot. In any case, many had been shot dead. Some bodies are on the road, in plots close to the centre of Ntoyo. I was unable to count them, but I can say that there are at least 70 people. Most of them were shot dead,” he reports of the scenes he witnessed.
Ruthless Attack on Christian Farmers
The next morning the extremists struck again, this time targeting Christian farmers.
“The ADF arrived in Potodu, some six kilometres from Mabasele, a neighbourhood in Oicha. With machetes, they killed Christian farmers who were camped in their farms and those who were returning,” he adds.
“It is a night of sadness and desolation for Christians,” says Pastor Paluku of the CECA20 Oicha.
“May God come to our rescue because we are fed up with these killings in the Beni territory,” Pastor Paluku laments.
Massacres Are Weakening the Faith of Christians
As usual, the attacks have sent many fleeing the affected areas. Following the attack in Potodu, those who have mustered courage to remain spend their nights within host families in Oicha city centre. Those who fled the Ntoyo attack fled to nearby localities.
“Christians are disoriented because it was the time when they went to harvest their padi [crop] but look what’s happening to them. We, the Church, are short of what to sympathise with them. They are not willing to sleep in the church for fear of being attacked like those who were killed in a wake,” shares Reverend Alili of the 3e CBCA church Njiapanda.
“The massacres are weakening the faith of Christians. Last month it was still massacre after massacre, and in September, Lord, please come to our aid,” the cleric grieves.
Government authorities have visited the affected communities to sympathise with the residents.
“The situation is critical in the Bapère sector in Lubero territory, where Christians are being massacred by Islamic terrorists. Please, brothers and sisters, let us unite in prayer to counter the enemy. God says if He does not watch over the house, those who watch, watch in vain. Let us pray together for the Christians of the east of the DRC,” Reverend Alili pleads.
Open Doors’ Field Statement
“We are dismayed to learn that yet another massacre of Christians has taken place in eastern DRC,” says Jo Newhouse*, a spokesperson for Open Doors’ work in Sub-Saharan Africa. “It is unacceptable that these attacks on civilian, and specifically Christians who were gathered for a funeral, are allowed to continue without any restraint. Open Doors strongly condemns these ongoing acts of violence against believers and calls upon the government with its international partners to urgently prioritise civilian protection in eastern DRC where the IS-affiliated ADF has been allowed to wreak havoc for far too long.
“We ask the body of Christ to keep the Church in eastern DRC in prayer. Pray for God’s comfort, His provision to the displaced, and for His Spirit to give them strength to stand firm amidst these targeted attacks,” Ms Newhouse added.
Please pray:
- Please continue to pray for believers in eastern DRC; pray for the Lord’s comfort for their grieving hearts. Many have lost several family members in these attacks.
- Pray for God’s intervention so these killings stop.
- Pray for strength of spirit and heart for the affected.
- Pray for the safety of those who are trying to have burials for their deceased family.
- Pray for calm to reign as some irate youths in Ntoyo are threatening to protest the Government’s failure to protect them and their property.
Stay updated with the latest prayer requests from the persecuted church.
