More than 200 people including women and children have been abducted and a church mission hospital and shops looted by Islamist extremists during a raid on Boga, Democratic Republic of Congo, a majority-Christian country.
The Bishop of Boga Diocese, eastern Democratic Republic (DR) of Congo, Rt Rev. William Bahemuka, said the Muslim militant group ADF (Allied Democratic Forces) had attacked the town in Ituri province in the early hours of 23 August. The ADF Islamist terrorist group has been operating in the region for more than two decades and has repeatedly attacked Christians .
During the three-hour assault, government troops based in Boga were overrun by the militants. There are conflicting reports about the role of the army in resisting the attack as no casualties have been reported. Bahemuka said the army has dispatched additional troops to search for those who were abducted.
Bahemuka said, “The situation is terrible. People are terrified. Families are traumatized and grieving over their abducted loved ones. The ADF has never been active in Boga, so people are confused and don’t know how to understand the current situation.”
“I appeal to people of good will everywhere to lobby their home governments to put pressure on the DR Congo government to stabilize the security situation in eastern Congo. We also appeal for a massive outpouring of sustained prayer from Christians everywhere,” he added.
From Barnabas Fund contacts
