08/24/2021 DRC (International Christian Concern) –According to Africa News, at least 18 people were killed in the DR Congo last week during fighting between the DRC army and the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) terror group.

“At least 9 civilians were killed on the night of (Thursday to Friday) in #Katanda (territory of #Beni, North #Kivu). Searches are still underway. The #ADF are suspected,” the Kivu Security Barometer wrote in a tweet.

“There was an ADF incursion from 10pm to 3am in the village of Katanda: nine civilians were killed, dozens of houses were burned and several people are missing,” Abdul Kalemire, the leader of the Bashu chiefdom (Beni Territory, North Kivu), told AFP.

Earlier this month, the DR Congo accepted U.S. Military help to fight the ADF terrorist group.

“President Felix Tshisekedi authorized the deployment of American anti-terrorism experts in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo,” said a statement from the presidency.

While a large majority (85-90%) of DRC’s population is Christian, violence rooted in Islamic extremism continues to worsen, putting the country at number 40 on the 2021 Open Doors World Watch List for Christian persecution. “These predominantly Christian communities are attacked by an Islamic extremist group with a clear Islamic expansionist agenda,” Open Doors spokesperson Illia Djadi stated in reference to ADF.

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