The Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) launched a brutal attack on the Christian villages of Kawame and Mapili in North Kivu, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) on 13 August resulting in the deaths of seven people and leaving several others missing.
Eyewitnesses described the terrifying scenes as the ADF rebels, who uttered the Arabic phrase “bismillah” (“In the name of Allah”) while killing, attacked Kawame, killing three people. The next morning, the militants struck again, attacking Mapili and killing four more people, severely injuring one, and abducting several villagers, whose whereabouts remain unknown.
Survivors recounted the chaos and panic as they fled for their lives, with one eyewitness saying, “Those who did not survive were killed, and the rebels could utter the word ‘bismillah’ while killing our innocent Christians.”
Local leaders are urging government authorities to take immediate action to protect civilians and address the root causes of the violence perpetrated by the ADF, dubbed “Allahakbarists” by the bishop of the Anglican church in Beni. The bishop emphasized the dire situation, stating, “As Christians, we are living in fear every day; we cannot go about our lives knowing that at any moment we could be attacked by the Islamists.”
These attacks follow a similar incident the previous day in Madududu and Anditongo, where the ADF killed two people, burned homes, and looted shops, highlighting the escalating violence and persecution faced by Christians in the region.