Islamic State Monsters in East Congo Target Funeral in Latest Massacre of Christians

We have written about the eastern region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) previously, and how the region has seen horrific atrocities committed against Christians. According to our sources on the ground, the region has once again been gripped by a wave of unspeakable violence.

On the evening of September 8, fighters from the Islamic State stormed into a funeral service in Ntoyo village. What should have been a solemn night of mourning quickly turned into yet another massacre. Reports from survivors and local leaders indicate that as many as 100 civilians – many of them Christians – were slaughtered during a funeral wake.

According to our sources, Oicha General Hospital received at least 62 bodies the following morning, with dozens more believed to remain uncounted. Survivors describe the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) as firing indiscriminately into crowds, killing men, women, and children alike. Machetes were also reportedly used. Testimonies are harrowing: Our sources told us of one Christian man who recounted being shot in the hand as he watched his friend being executed beside him. “They killed everyone they found,” he said. “Even though most of them were Christians, they had no target – they killed all.”

As we fight for dying Christians in the DRC, we need you to take action with us. Add your name to our petition: Protect Christians From Massacre in the Congo.

The attack is not an isolated incident but part of a disturbing pattern of violence that haunts the Beni region – a vital center for cocoa farming and gold mining. With the cocoa harvest season just beginning, armed groups frequently escalate attacks to drive farmers from their land and seize crops or exploit gold deposits. Despite ongoing massacres, cocoa continues to reach markets – a chilling sign that militants are profiting from the mass killings.

Christian communities in Eastern Congo bear the brunt of this brutality. Funerals, church gatherings, and community events have become deadly targets. Survivors say the soldiers meant to protect them often arrive too late, leaving families defenseless against well-armed militants. Local organizations stress that even basic early warning systems – whistles, drums, or horns to alert villagers of incoming attacks – could save lives. Yet without international attention and resources, communities remain vulnerable, overwhelmed, and grieving.

And the killing didn’t end there. On September 9, ADF fighters struck again – this time in Fodotu, which was the region’s last remaining granary, a lifeline for families already facing hunger. As civilians gathered to collect food, militants ambushed them. Within hours, anguished cries rang out near Oicha General Hospital as more bodies were carried in, the victims of another unprovoked slaughter.

For Christians in the DRC, these attacks are more than statistics – they are a daily reality of persecution. Families gather to pray at wakes only to be met with bullets. Parents send their children on errands, never knowing if they will return. Pastors and church leaders plead for protection while burying members of their congregations.

The international community cannot remain silent as these atrocities mount. The people of Eastern Congo – especially its Christian population – are crying out for help: for protection, for medical aid, for recognition of the suffering they endure. Every harvest season brings with it the dread of new massacres. Unless urgent action is taken, more lives will be lost, more families shattered, and more churches emptied by terror.

We are working around the world to bring change in the DRC. I recently traveled to Geneva, Switzerland, to personally deliver an urgent oral intervention at the U.N. Human Rights Council, highlighting the atrocities against defenseless Christians and urging international action to stop them. We continue our efforts in Washington, D.C., where we recently sent a joint letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, which was drafted by the ACLJ and co-signed by a coalition of organizations committed to human rights and religious liberty. These actions are just a part of our multipronged efforts to shine a light on the horror being perpetrated against Christians and demand action to defend them.

Take action with us. Add your name to our petition: Protect Christians From Massacre in the Congo.