Photo: Morning Star News
On January 15th, a joint baptismal service was held in the town of Kasindi, which is located in eastern DR Congo. During the service, two men apparently entered the building and left a bag containing explosives before vacating the church premises. The resulting explosion killed at least 14 people and injured dozens of others. As the local hospital was quickly filled with wounded church members, some of the victims had to be transported by United Nations helicopters to the provincial capital of Goma.
The self-proclaimed Islamic State (IS) terrorist group has claimed responsibility for the attack, which is believed to have been perpetuated by the ADF, a rebel group with affiliations to IS. While violence from rebel groups has caused havoc in eastern DR Congo for years, this latest attack directly targeted Christians as they were praying. One church elder believes it was done to threaten and instill fear among members of the Christian community. A Kenyan national, who was allegedly involved in planning the attack, has been arrested.
In response to the incident, the Church of Christ in Congo has called for a time of national mourning. They further urged all believers living in this African nation to be extra vigilant in places of worship. For other reports on persecution of Christians in this war-torn nation, go to this list of reports.
Pray that God's peace will calm the anxious minds and hearts of all who have been affected by this horrific event. Additionally, please pray for the physical and emotional healing of our brothers and sisters in Christ who sustained injuries during the attack. May the Holy Spirit also minister greatly needed comfort to all who are mourning the loss of loved ones. Ask the Lord to guide the efforts of the country's governing forces and other organizations that are diligently working to bring peace to this troubled region, resulting in positive changes taking place in the lives of the perpetrators as well.
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