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In the middle of the night on May 17, two predominantly Christian villages in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) were shaken by coordinated attacks that left dozens dead and many more wounded.
The attacks, carried out by the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), struck the villages of Kekele in the province of Ituri, and Kokola near Beni, North Kivu. The rebels first hit Kekele.
“At least six civilians were killed during an overnight raid by suspected ADF militants,” said Njiamoja Sabiti, a local administrative official. “Four men and two women were among those killed with edged weapons and gunshots.”
Hours later, the ADF fighters stormed Kokola.
“The militants killed seven people and wounded four others,” said Bravo Muhindo, a villager. “They also set fire to four residences during the attack, which created more turmoil and panic in the village.”
The ADF has been responsible for many fatal massacres throughout eastern Congo, brutally slaughtering worshippers, burning churches, and terrorizing believers.
In February, ADF militants abducted 70 Christians from the village of Mayba and marched them to a church in nearby Kasanga. There, the believers were bound and killed with machetes.
“They were taken to the church and killed there. It was shocking,” a survivor said. “The church was desecrated.”
Survivors said the recent attacks are not random acts of violence, but part of a broader strategy to suppress Christian communities, undermining their right to worship and live in peace.
The pattern of brutality, machetes, gunfire, and arson is consistent across the region, aimed at forcing displacement and breaking the spirit of entire villages. Local churches are rallying to support survivors, rebuild homes, and restore places of worship. But the scars run deep.
“We need security to live and worship without fear,” Sabiti said. “These attacks tear the fabric of our communities.”
The attacks, carried out by the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), struck the villages of Kekele in the province of Ituri, and Kokola near Beni, North Kivu. The rebels first hit Kekele.
“At least six civilians were killed during an overnight raid by suspected ADF militants,” said Njiamoja Sabiti, a local administrative official. “Four men and two women were among those killed with edged weapons and gunshots.”
Hours later, the ADF fighters stormed Kokola.
“The militants killed seven people and wounded four others,” said Bravo Muhindo, a villager. “They also set fire to four residences during the attack, which created more turmoil and panic in the village.”
The ADF has been responsible for many fatal massacres throughout eastern Congo, brutally slaughtering worshippers, burning churches, and terrorizing believers.
In February, ADF militants abducted 70 Christians from the village of Mayba and marched them to a church in nearby Kasanga. There, the believers were bound and killed with machetes.
“They were taken to the church and killed there. It was shocking,” a survivor said. “The church was desecrated.”
Survivors said the recent attacks are not random acts of violence, but part of a broader strategy to suppress Christian communities, undermining their right to worship and live in peace.
The pattern of brutality, machetes, gunfire, and arson is consistent across the region, aimed at forcing displacement and breaking the spirit of entire villages. Local churches are rallying to support survivors, rebuild homes, and restore places of worship. But the scars run deep.
“We need security to live and worship without fear,” Sabiti said. “These attacks tear the fabric of our communities.”
