At least 49 Christians killed in DRC as they gathered to pray
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
At least 49 Christians who had gathered for a night prayer vigil at a church were killed when Islamist militants Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) attacked a town in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
The incident took place in Komanda, a small town in Ituri provice, in the early hours of Sunday morning (27 July), with people both inside and outside the Catholic church targeted. Nearby shops, businesses and homes were attacked and looted. Security forces received news at around 2am, but when they arrived, the militants had already left the area.
“They killed some believers who were in the church hall. Those who tried to flee were caught at the door and slaughtered in the compound. Others who made it to the road were also caught and killed,” says an Open Doors local partner, who visited the community after the attack to offer encouragement and support.
Number killed could be higher
The initial number confirmed to have been killed has gradually grown in the days since, with more than 49 Christians now confirmed to have been killed. The number may be even higher. “The bodies of the victims are still at the scene of the tragedy, and volunteers are preparing how to bury them in a mass grave that we are preparing in a compound of the Catholic church,” said Dieudonne Duranthabo, a civil society coordinator in Komanda, on 27 July.
The ADF also took at least 20 children hostage. Before retreating, they looted businesses and set shops, houses and cars ablaze.
“I held the hand of a woman whose child had been abducted,” says an Open Doors local partner. “I told her not to despair, to continue trusting God, because He is the God who makes the impossible possible. I told her not to lose hope, that she was not alone, and that we are praying for her and her child.”
“Let us help each other more with prayer so that the children return home, so that we can see them again,” says Kavugho Malasi, whose 12-year-old daughter, Christine was kidnapped in Komanda.
It’s also believed that at least five others were killed in Machongani, a nearby village, in an earlier incident. These are the latest in a series of attacks in the region in July, with around 80 people said to have been killed in total.
Tags
Who is online
281 visitors
The real issue the widespread sectarian murder of christians by Muslims bring up is why are Christians so morally bankrupt?
It's so underreported. People have such concern about Palestinians, but over the last decade more than 50,000 Christians have been murdered in Africa for being Christian. Yet we hear nothing about it in the news. Christians in Africa, who can't defend themselves and harm no one, are being murdered in job lots but it is the Palestinians, who raise their children to be martyrs and to eliminate Israel get all the sympathy. What a world.
Not to mention essentially ethnically cleansed out of the middle east.
Listen, you need to stop this partisan bull. People are 'underreported' in various states and conditions all the time. After all, it is an 'incredibly' dynamic world we live in, and only 24 hours in which to 'report' into which news anchors must prepare scripts for the most 'pressing' and distressing of news.
As Christians, we ought to care about the lives of every innocent. And this out-sized statement:
Is a general remark. Of course, some Palestinians are wrong to support harming and killing others, but to repeatedly put out there like is 100 percent the notion that Palestinians 'want' to be martyrs for HAMAS—can not be true. As nothing is true with its proportion of EXCEPTIONS.
Besides Palestine is not even a part of what occurs in the DRC—until and unless you can 'relate' them. Do not just put-on Palestine and the Palestinian people Christian violence . . . because I am pretty sure the Palestinians can say the same or similarly about their real problems with Israel and Israel with Palestine.
When a Christian resorts to partisanship in lieu of truth. . . it blesses no one. . .including the Christian. . .just ask those Christian organizations that have to apologize for their 'failure' of protecting the living in their times of need.
I would recommend that you read The Holy Koran.
Why? What is it you wish me to see (learn)? And, since there is obviously something you wish me to see, learn, read, provide the location in the Koran. (I actually have one in the house here. . . and online.)
Black Christians were killed. Puts the christian haters with their racialist obsessions in a tough spot.
What does that mean? Please be plain so we can comment on it.
First, even if there are those who hate Christians in the US, there certainly isn't some large political group that does, the vast majority of democrats are Christian as well so this isn't a right vs left thing. It's just a very sad tragedy of a Muslim extremist group targeting not just Christians but those of any other religion.
Second, why would this put even those who hate Christians in a tough spot? I don't see any of them cheering these Muslim extremist murderers on, though I do occasionally see conservatives claim that is happening without a lick of evidence other than their apparently hurt feelings to try and prove it. It seems some conservatives believe that if an American wants to defend the rights of American Muslims to live and work and run for office like any other American in our country that must mean you support Muslim extremists and hate Christians.
Do you not read the posts of some of your fellow travellers on this site? How could you even question that given the rampant bigotry frequently on display?
, t he vast majority of democrats are Christian as well
Not at all. 50%of Democrats identify as Christian as of 2023. It's probably below 50% at this point.
y would this put even those who hate Christians in a tough spot?
Because Christians are oppressors and blacks are victims in the new left wing religion. Notice how some will even explicitly say "white christians" when attacking Christians? Doesn't matter how corrupt or political some black christian religious leaders are, it's just the "white evangelicals" who are a problem.
I hear many express their displeasure with a lot of things conservative Christians do, would I consider most of it "hate"? No.
Because pointing out others religious bigotry isn't bigotry.
Bigotry: noun - obstinate or unreasonable attachment to a belief, opinion, or faction, in particular prejudice against a person or people on the basis of their membership of a particular group.
If I say I hate when Christians discriminate against the lgtbq community, does that make me a bigot? I'm not prejudiced against all Christians, the majority on the left consider themselves Christian and most keep their faith to themselves and their family where it belongs.
So, it's not about being part of a particular group, it's prejudice against those who choose to act a certain way, just like a bar has the right to refuse service to someone who is being drunk and disorderly. They aren't discriminating against the drunk for who they are as an individual, they're kicking them out for their behavior which is upsetting the other patrons.
Rightwing religious Christians aren't being discriminated against for who they are as individuals or even as a group, they're experiencing push back only when they cross the line and start behaving badly by trying to inject their faith into our nation's laws and legislate morality.
Because pointing out others religious bigotry isn't bigotry.
good thing that’s not what I’m talking about then. But keep after your straw man.
Just ignore the slurs, the bigoted stereotypes, the generalized insults, not to mention the school shooter types who brag about knowing how close they can come to making terroristic threats against religious people without crossing over the line into actual criminal behavior.
Rightwing religious Christians aren't being discriminated against for who they are as individuals or even as a group
Of course they are. It's been well documented that putting religious activities on a resume results in discrimination.
Will you acknowledge the White Evangelicals at-large are the political problem so we can move on? Without the white majority Evangelicals, the GOP would not have the power to win and suppress Others. Admit it or we must continue to inform about it. It is arduous work that is necessary.
Racial discrimination is WRONG, and for church folks: It's a type of SIN. No need to try and 'square' it with any whataboutisms. Ignorant people perpetuate racism and religious violence by defending it or joining 'in' with it.
Let's be clear, pointing out the past, present, and forecast of future racist tactics, strategies and practices, and activities is not abuse of anybody. It is fact and potentially a deterrent to more racism.
AS FOR THESE PEOPLE KILLERS IN THIS ARTICLE: They pray and 'answer' to an angry God and should be ashamed and punished for it—they likely will get away with it or be reciprocally acted against (in farther violence).
Rumor has it that that aren't exactly too fond of The Jews eiither.
And of course the Hindus....(India).
Exactly. The fact that the majority that were killed were Christians at a Catholic Church was just because they happened to be there at the time on Sunday. If they hadn't been there, they would have likely been killed at the "Nearby shops, businesses and homes" which were also "attacked and looted" according to the seed.
The ADF are Muslim terrorists who attack and kill anyone who isn't part of their brand of Islam, even other Muslims. This is not a "the world is attacking Christians!" thing, it's another Muslim extremist group that needs to be hunted down and destroyed just like Hamas and ISIS and any other group that is using indiscriminate violence to terrorize everyone else. Christians, atheists (they would if there was an atheist majority village in their range), Jews, Hindu's, other Muslims, they are a threat to everyone.
It's sad that their target this time was a village of Christian believers, but no more sad than if it had been a village of Jews, Hindus, Muslims or atheists.
Crazy how that worked. Imagine the odds of Christians being found in a church on Sunday. It's almost like that was planned.
s is not a "the world is attacking Christians!"
No. It's terrorists killing Christians because they are christians.
internecine violence is the best evidence that most organized religion is hypocritical bullshit ...
if I said I wasn't amused by it, I'd be lying ...
Well,. . .Christianity anyhow, has no excuse whatsoever for the violence it regularly allows itself to be associated—past and present. Then, for some Christian organizations come the belated apology and after a time. . . they bristle up and do the same or similarly again.
Remind me again of the last time a group of Christians hunted down Muslims with machetes?....
While they were in prayer....
It happens Nigerian Christians Attack Muslims, Kill Dozens - Christianity Today
Congrats, you only had to go back 21 years to find something.....
Did you miss the part where the Muslims had attacked the Christians the week before?
I don't have to remind you of anything. As my comment goes to what "devangelical" wrote at 3. It was not specifically about the DRC. . . as you can see if you go back and read it once or twice (if necessary). Finally, the violence Christianity has supported with sermons, lectures, or actions or silence is in the history books you can familiarize yourself with it there. Don't try crafting a different question just to 'grandstand' it won't work!