Source: www.persecution.org
Date: July 1, 2021
DRC (International Christian Concern) –Islamic extremists are suspected to be behind an attack that killed at least 10 people last night in the city of Beni in eastern DR Congo.
According to Reuters, residents of the city stated that “A group of attackers had set several houses on fire in the middle of the night in the city’s Beu district, firing upon people as they exited the buildings and attacking some with machetes.”
Hundreds of civilians took to the city’s streets this morning to protest a lack of security in the area.
“So far we have seen ten bodies ourselves and have just transported a body on a cart to the morgue,” protestor Kathembo Ngeleza told Reuters,
“We don’t know what our authorities are doing. The idea is to protect the inhabitants, but here we are again … We are really angry,” he added.
For years, dozens of armed militias have wreaked havoc in the DRC, a predominately Christian nation. The largest among these groups is the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), an affiliate of ISIS whose primary aim is to create an Islamic Caliphate in Central Africa.
The UNHCR reported an “alarming increase” in attacks by ADF in the Democratic Republic of the Congo since the start of this year. In the Beni area alone, over 1,200 civilians have been killed by the terrorist group since 2017, according to the Kivu Security Tracker monitoring group.
HOW TO PRAY: Please continue to pray for the healing of those traumatized by violence in the DRC, and for the Lord to comfort those who are grieving the loss of loved ones. Please also pray for the Lord to strengthen government protection over its people and bring peace to the nation, and for the love of Jesus to redeem the souls of those who persecute the church.