Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC)

While the DRC is one of Africa's largest countries geographically with a Christian-majority population, militant Muslim groups severely persecute Christians along the DRC's eastern border. One of the principal persecutors is the Islamist Allied Democratic Forces (ADF). The ADF is active in the Rwenzori Mountain area and seeks to establish Islamic law throughout the region. When rebels capture groups of people, they often release Muslims while killing Christians who refuse to convert.

Life for Christians:

The church is under immense pressure in the eastern DRC. In areas controlled by the ADF, Christian villages have been raided, churches destroyed and hundreds of believers brutally killed. Dozens of local Christians have been abducted by the ADF and told to recant their faith in Christ and convert to Islam. Those abducted have witnessed horrific acts of violence against fellow Christians. Prior to the outbreak of violence, one church denomination had 25 churches in the Beni area; today they have eight. Another denomination had 54 churches and now has 11. Other denominations report similar patterns.