On Saturday 1 October, Islamic militants belonging to the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), killed 14 civilians in a surprise attack on a predominantly Christian community.
The ADF is an ISIS-affiliated extremist group operating in parts of Uganda and the Congo. Their most recent attack took place in the volatile eastern region of Ituri, in Kymata village.
The attackers killed fourteen people with machetes, injured two more, and are suspected to have kidnapped two children. Following the murders, the militants set fire to the village, destroying the homes and livelihoods of its residents.
The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), along with Uganda, which frequently suffers from attacks due to ADF incursions across its border, launched a joint military initiative against ADF militants in November of 2021. However, their attempts to stamp out the violence seem to be unsuccessful, as the number of attacks has increased in recent months.
The ADF started in the 1990s as a force opposing the alleged mistreatment of Muslims by the Ugandan government. They later expanded their operation to the DRC, where they have now grown and spread in the provinces of Ituri and North- Kivu.
This group is the most violent of the over 120 armed groups currently active in the eastern DRC. Sadly, brutal crimes are committed against Congolese civilians, including many Christians, with increasing frequency.
Source: International Christian Concern
Please Pray
Pray for God’s comfort over the community of Kymata as they grieve the fourteen who were recently slain.
Pray that the two children suspected to have been kidnapped by the ADF will be returned to their families quickly and safely.
Pray for a ceasefire to the violence spreading across the Congo-Uganda border. Pray that members of these Islamic extremist groups will find the truth of Christ and stop their senseless attacks.