Before dawn on Tuesday, Sept. 9, the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) unleashed a brutal assault on the Christian village of Ntoyo-Mangurujipa in North Kivu, DRC, killing more than 70 believers gathered for a wake. What should have been a night of solemn mourning became a massacre, as armed fighters stormed the gathering and opened fire without warning. Survivors described scenes of horror as women, children, and men were gunned down, and the attackers set fire to homes, vehicles, and property, leaving families not only bereaved but destitute. Evangelist John Tumaini, who narrowly escaped, said it was only “a matter of chance” that he wasn’t among the dead.

Local officials rejected rumors of community collaboration with the rebels, stressing that the ADF operates with a strategy of terror to instill fear and submission. The massacre in Ntoyo is part of a growing pattern, following similar attacks in nearby villages like Bandulu, showing the systematic targeting of Christian communities in eastern Congo. Red Cross workers labored to recover the victims’ bodies as church leaders urged believers to hold on to faith amid the devastation. For many in North Kivu, prayer remains their only refuge, even as they face relentless persecution and waves of violence meant to break their spirit.

SOURCE: ICC