More Christians Are Being Targeted For Their Faith
More than 20 Christians were killed in a series of attacks last month in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, according to persecution watchdogs, as Islamist militants continued a campaign of violence against Christian communities in the country's eastern region.
The attacks, carried out in mid-July, have been attributed to the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), an Islamist extremist group with known ties to the Islamic State. According to Persecution.org, the assaults targeted three communities and left more than 20 people dead.
The commune of Mangina, whose population is predominantly Christian, was attacked twice within a short period.
Mangina Mayor Nicolas Kambale said the attackers were armed with knives and firearms and specifically sought out Christians while setting homes ablaze.
The first assault claimed six lives, including a church elder and a worship leader. Six additional people were injured, and one person was reported missing.
Days later, the militants returned and killed 10 more people.
Survivors and local residents have said the attackers' goal is to eliminate the Christian presence in the region.
The violence did not end there. Open Doors reported that Islamic militants also attacked an area west of the city of Beni, killing seven civilians and three members of the Congolese Armed Forces.
Church elder, worship leader killed by Islamic extremists in the DRC https://t.co/G2aYDbCb46
— The Christian Post (@ChristianPost) August 3, 2026
The Christian advocacy organization ranks the Democratic Republic of the Congo as the 29th most dangerous country in the world for Christians.
Pastor Nkulu of Mangina described the atmosphere following the attacks as one of growing fear.
“Activities have slowed down,” he said, according to Open Doors UK.
“Fear is increasing. Brothers and sisters, please intercede for the safety of the rural commune of Mangina and for the strengthening of the faith of Christians.”
Open Doors says Christians living in eastern Congo face particularly severe persecution because of the ADF's ongoing insurgency.
“DRC’s eastern region has become a hotspot for severe persecution, with the ADF — an Islamist extremist group with ties to so-called Islamic State (IS) — deliberately targeting Christian communities through massacres, kidnapping and the destruction of churches,” the organization said.
“According to many victims, the atrocities are intended to eradicate the presence of Christians.”
The group also noted that persecution extends beyond physical violence. Christian converts may face rejection from their families and communities, pressure to abandon their faith, and exclusion from inheritances or community life. Those who refuse to participate in traditional religious practices can face intimidation.
Church leaders who criticize government corruption or advocate for constitutional rights have also come under pressure.
“Meanwhile, Catholic and Protestant church leaders who speak against state corruption or advocate for constitutional rights risk threats, surveillance and harassment,” Open Doors reported. “Church activities are disrupted, and clergy publicly vilified. This contributes to a climate of fear in which calls for justice are systematically silenced.”
Human rights organizations have likewise documented the escalating violence.
Amnesty International Secretary General Agnès Callamard said civilians in eastern Congo continue to endure widespread brutality at the hands of ADF fighters.
“Civilians in the eastern DRC have suffered extensive brutality at the hands of ADF fighters,” Callamard said. “They have been killed, abducted and tortured in a dehumanizing campaign of abuse.”
She added that the group has raided villages and farms, attacked medical facilities, and looted and burned homes, worsening an already severe humanitarian crisis.
“The ADF’s violence is contributing to an escalating humanitarian crisis,” Callamard said. “The group’s attacks have increased displacement and disrupted basic services, including access to food, health care and education.”
She concluded by arguing that the documented abuses rise to the level of international crimes.
“These abuses constitute war crimes which the world must not continue to ignore,” Callamard said. “As part of widespread and systematic attack against the civilian population, they also amount to crimes against humanity.”