Africa in Conflict: ISIS-Affiliated Militants Behead 70 Christians in DRC
Executive Summary
Seventy Christians in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) were beheaded by ISIS-aligned militants in a brutal attack that has drawn little global attention. The victims, all from the Lubero district, were rounded up, taken to a local church, and executed with machetes. The massacre was carried out by the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), a jihadist group affiliated with ISIS, which has long terrorized the region. Christian persecution in the DRC is escalating, with the ADF seeking to establish an Islamic caliphate. Meanwhile, the wider security situation in the DRC continues to deteriorate as the Rwanda-backed M23 rebel group expands its territorial control, further destabilizing the region.
Analysis
The massacre of 70 Christians in Lubero is part of a broader campaign by the ADF to forcibly impose Islamic rule in northeastern DRC. The attack highlights the extreme vulnerability of Christian communities in the region, where persecution is frequent and often met with impunity. Open Doors U.S. reports that 95% of DRC’s population is Christian, yet Islamist militants remain determined to drive them out or force them to convert. The lack of international response underscores a disturbing trend in global indifference to Christian persecution, even in cases of mass killings.
The ongoing violence is exacerbated by the broader instability in eastern DRC, where the M23 rebel group, backed by Rwanda, has seized control of major cities, including Goma and Bukavu. M23’s territorial expansion strengthens Rwanda’s strategic influence and control over critical trade routes, mineral resources, and border access. The Congolese army (FARDC) has struggled to contain the rebellion, leading to calls for international intervention. However, efforts to pressure Rwanda to withdraw its support for M23 have had limited success.
In addition to the security crisis in DRC, Morocco’s recent arrests of 12 suspected jihadists highlight the growing threat of ISIS expansion in Africa. Moroccan authorities revealed that the suspects were in direct contact with an ISIS leader in the Sahel, indicating a coordinated effort to expand jihadist activities beyond the Sahara. This development aligns with broader intelligence assessments that Africa is becoming a key battleground for Islamist militants, with groups like ISIS and al-Qaeda exploiting weak state institutions and regional instability to establish new footholds.
As Christian persecution intensifies and conflicts escalate across Africa, there are growing concerns that extremist groups will continue to exploit the power vacuum left by ineffective governments. The West has condemned the violence but has yet to take significant action to address the worsening humanitarian and security crisis.
