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70 Christians Beheaded in Church: What We Know
Published Feb 20, 2025 at 1:54 PM EST
Seventy decapitated bodies have been discovered in a church in the war-torn Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), according to Open Doors, which supports persecuted Christians around the world.
An Islamist group linked to Islamic State called the AFD are feared to have beheaded the victims with machetes.
Newsweek has contacted the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the DRC, via email, for comment.
What To Know
The 70 decapitated bodies were discovered in a Protestant church in the town of Kasanga, in the Lubero Territory in the province of North Kivu toward the end of last week, according to Open Doors.
No group has taken responsibility for the atrocity, but Open Doors, and several other organizations, have accused the AFD of the murders, citing "field sources." The victims are believed to have been taken hostage a few days before they were killed.
Military administrator Alain Kiwewa for the Lubero Territory said he was investigating the incident, Pan-African news agency Agence de Presse Africaine reported.
"Local sources suspect the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), an Islamist group of Ugandan origin affiliated with the Islamic State, as well as local armed groups of being responsible for the massacre. These groups have maintained a climate of terror in the region for several months," the agency said.
www.newsweek.com
Published Feb 20, 2025 at 1:54 PM EST
Seventy decapitated bodies have been discovered in a church in the war-torn Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), according to Open Doors, which supports persecuted Christians around the world.
An Islamist group linked to Islamic State called the AFD are feared to have beheaded the victims with machetes.
Newsweek has contacted the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the DRC, via email, for comment.
What To Know
The 70 decapitated bodies were discovered in a Protestant church in the town of Kasanga, in the Lubero Territory in the province of North Kivu toward the end of last week, according to Open Doors.
No group has taken responsibility for the atrocity, but Open Doors, and several other organizations, have accused the AFD of the murders, citing "field sources." The victims are believed to have been taken hostage a few days before they were killed.
Military administrator Alain Kiwewa for the Lubero Territory said he was investigating the incident, Pan-African news agency Agence de Presse Africaine reported.
"Local sources suspect the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), an Islamist group of Ugandan origin affiliated with the Islamic State, as well as local armed groups of being responsible for the massacre. These groups have maintained a climate of terror in the region for several months," the agency said.
70 Christians beheaded in church: What we know
Newsweek has rounded up what we know about reports of around 70 Christians being executed in a church.
www.newsweek.com
RIP
