by Karen Faulkner, Worthy News Correspondent
(Worthy News) - Islamic jihadists murdered 10 Christians in the Democratic Republic of the Congo last week, a day after heads of state from the East African Community (EAC) met in Nairobi, Kenya to discuss the increasingly violent and unstable situation in eastern DRC, CBN News reports.
The killings were carried out by the ISIS-affiliated Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) rebel group near the village of Makisabo, Beni.
The 10 Christians were slain on June 21, after the three taxis they were traveling in were ambushed and blocked by the ADF jihadists on the Beni-Kasindi Road, CBN reports. The killers shot all the Christians to death and then burned their vehicles.
In a statement to the International Christian Concern advocacy group, the taxi operator said: “The 5 p.m. incident led to the death of our fellow drivers and our customers who wanted to reach home and be with their families. We are saddened that the ADF rebels continue to make our lives difficult here in Congo. There is no single day that they do not kill people. The villages are unsafe. The roads are unsafe. The towns are unsafe. We only live by God's mercy, the operator added."
The previous day the East African Community (EAC) convention led by President Uhuru Kenyatta resolved to deploy more troops to support the Congolese army. The leaders also called for a disarmament exercise in the provinces of Ituri, North Kivu, and South Kivu, CBN reports.
Condemning the attack, a local church bishop told ICC: "We know the war situation in Congo is complex, but we cannot ignore the fact that the rebel groups are targeting Christians…We have pastors that have been killed for refusing to deny Christ and get Islamized. We are asking for prayers and support to take care of millions of refugees, widows, and orphans."