Although 95% of The Democratic Republic of Congo’s population identifies as Christian, persecution rates continue to rise as Islamic extremist groups fight for control of the east. Their hostility against Christianity has killed hundreds of people and displaced thousands more. 

In a recent attack, seventeen were killed and more than 50 injured in the bombing of a Pentecostal church on Sunday, Jan. 15 in Kasindi, North Kivu, located in northeastern Democratic Republic of Congo. 

Prior to the attack, hundreds of churchgoers had gathered for the outdoor baptismal service of 60 new Christians. As they stood listening to the preacher, the blast occurred. Survivors were rushed to the Beni General Hospital nearby. 

The Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the attack, saying, “Let the Congolese forces know that their continued attacks on the Mujahideen will only bring them more failure and losses.” However, the Congolese army suspects the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) carried out the bombing, planting an improvised explosive device within the church. The ADF has not issued a statement. 

The ADF began as a rebel group in Uganda and pledged its allegiance to the Islamic State in 2019. They now operate in central Africa, enacting violent attacks against civilians. At the end of 2019, they had killed approximately 310 civilians in North Kivu alone, a province that borders Uganda. 

Churchgoers are imploring the government to provide them with more safety after this recent attack. In a statement to Reuters, Paluku Kivugha, who is related to one of the victims, said, “Every time there are large groups of people, there are risks. We beg authorities to bring us security so such acts do not happen again.”