Islamic State-affiliated rebels are slaughtering Christians in Congo’s churches and hospitals, forcing heroic Catholic sisters to flee as they defend the faithful against jihadist terror.
Escalating Attacks on Christian Strongholds
The Allied Democratic Forces launched a brutal assault on Blessed Marie-Clémentine Anuarite Nengapeta Catholic Church in Komanda, Ituri province, on July 27, 2025. Attackers used guns and machetes, set the building ablaze, and slaughtered at least 43 worshippers in the pews. Komanda serves as a vital commercial hub linking provinces, making it a strategic target for militias seeking economic control. This massacre followed ADF raids on nearby villages, underscoring their expanding terror footprint.
Sisters on the Frontlines Face Direct Peril
Catholic sisters from the Congregation of the Little Sisters of the Presentation of Our Lady provided essential care at Biambwe Referral Health Centre until November 14, 2025. Rebels stormed the facility, killing 18 patients and forcing a narrow escape for the nuns. Superior General Sr. Kasayi Kyakimwa Henriette announced the temporary withdrawal from Biambwe and Muhangi on November 19, citing unbearable risks. These women embodied selfless service, now retreating as jihadists target healers alongside believers.
The February 12-15 Maiba massacre in North Kivu uncovered approximately 70 bodies in a Protestant church, part of a grim pattern. Local fear intensified with reports of ADF collaborators aiding operations, eroding community trust. Father Marcelo Oliveira, a Comboni missionary, observed the militia’s stepped-up violence, noting their Muslim extremist ideology drives assaults on Christians serving remote families.
Islamic Extremism Fuels Religious Persecution
ADF originated in Uganda in 1995 but pledged allegiance to the Islamic State in 2019, transforming into a transnational threat operating across DRC’s eastern provinces—Ituri, North Kivu, South Kivu. Father Oliveira warned: they target Christians explicitly, combining territorial grabs with ideological hatred. Bishop Dieudonné Uringi Uuci decried related CODECO desecrations as organized campaigns. Vatican leaders, including Cardinal Pietro Parolin, expressed deep sorrow, rallying global solidarity for persecuted faithful.
UN Deputy Special Representative Vivian van de Perre condemned the worship attacks as human rights violations. Orthodox Public Affairs Committee highlighted the slaughter of defenseless civilians. M23 rebels compound the crisis, capturing cities like Goma, but ADF’s ISIS ties mark this as faith-based jihad eroding family-centered missions that conservatives cherish worldwide.
Devastating Toll on Families and Faith
Short-term losses include hundreds dead, displaced thousands fleeing to forests, and shuttered mission hospitals denying care to the vulnerable. Long-term, religious persecution precedents threaten Christian presence, sparking healthcare crises in isolated areas. Economic hubs like Komanda suffer looting and stagnation, mirroring globalist failures where weak governance invites chaos. These attacks undermine authority, radicalize survivors, and demand prayer for sisters defending traditional values against extremism.
Sources:
Massacre of faithful in the house of God in Congolese Catholic church leaves 43 dead
Locals call for prayer as 70 bodies found in Democratic Republic of Congo church after rebel attack
Catholic religious sisters attacked in Congo as crisis continues