70 Christians have been beheaded in DRC. The world must act now

In the early hours of February 13, a group of Islamic militants from Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), stormed the village of Mayba in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) under the cover of darkness. First, they kidnapped 20 people. When neighbours rushed to intervene, 50 more were taken. In total, 70 Christians - men, women, and children - were kidnapped. 

Their lifeless bodies were later found, beheaded. 

This was not just an act of random senseless violence, it was a deliberate, targeted slaughter of innocent Christians in one of the most under-reported crises in the world. 

A nation in chaos 

Why has this been allowed to happen? 

To answer this question, we need to look at the wider context of what is currently happening in the DRC. The country is in turmoil. For weeks, the rebel group M23 has been advancing, taking over entire regions in the North and South Kivu provinces. The M23 group is backed by neighbouring Rwanda, which is accused of supporting the group for political and economic gain. 

The Church cannot stay silent while our brothers and sisters in Christ are being massacred 

While M23 itself is not religiously motivated, its violent advance has left a security vacuum in its wake. The Congolese army and police have either fled or been overwhelmed. As a result, vast areas of the country - particularly Christian farming communities - have been left completely unprotected. 

And that is exactly where the ADF thrives. 

A growing threat  

Unlike M23, the ADF is not just another armed group fighting for power. It is an Islamic extremist organisation with a clear religious agenda. Originally a Ugandan rebel group, the ADF was pushed into the eastern DRC, where it has now pledged allegiance to Islamic State (IS). It operates with the same brutal ideology and the same objective: to wipe out Christianity and impose Islamic rule. 

The attack on Mayba was just the latest in a campaign of terror that has already claimed the lives of hundreds of Christians. Churches have been burned, pastors murdered, and entire Christian communities forced to flee. Last year alone, at least 355 Christians in the DRC were killed for their faith - a sharp increase from 261 the previous year. 

If nothing changes, these numbers will only rise. 

Living in fear 

Across eastern DRC, people are living in a constant state of fear. Many have been displaced multiple times, fleeing one attack only to be targeted again in another village. Over 8 million people are now internally displaced - a humanitarian catastrophe that has barely made the headlines. 

This was not just an act of random senseless violence, it was a deliberate, targeted slaughter 

Christians there feel abandoned and forgotten. While international attention has been focused on conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza, the crisis in the DRC has gone largely unnoticed. But if the world does not wake up, the horror of Mayba will be repeated in village after village. 

Time to act 

This war is not just a local conflict. The DRC is one of the richest nations in Africa, with vast reserves of rare minerals needed for smartphones, laptops and electric vehicles. That wealth has made it a battleground for powerful global interests – including Western and Chinese companies, foreign governments and armed groups who exploit the chaos to profit from the country’s resources. 

But the lives of innocent people in the DRC cannot be treated as collateral damage. If the international community fails to act, it will be complicit in the slaughter that follows. 

In 2012, M23 waged a similar campaign of violence, but it was stopped when the US and other international actors put serious pressure on Rwanda to withdraw support. It worked then and it can work again. Governments - including the UK - must urgently call for decisive action to stop the bloodshed and provide protection for vulnerable communities exposed to violence. 

What Christians can do 

For Christians in the UK, there are two urgent responses: prayer and action. 

First, we must pray. Pray for protection over Christian communities in the DRC. Pray for the families who have lost loved ones. Pray that those in power will finally take notice and intervene. 

But prayer must also lead to action. The Church cannot stay silent while our brothers and sisters in Christ are being massacred. We must raise awareness. Call on our MPs to demand action. Support organisations like Open Doors, which provide vital aid to displaced Christians and advocate for their protection. 

The blood of the 70 Christians beheaded in Mayba cries out for justice. We cannot look away. We cannot let this happen again.