EDM 823: Acts of violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo

That this House notes with sadness that 70 Christians have been found beheaded in church in the DRC; underlines that on 13 February 2025, suspected militants from the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) based in the countries North East region, a group with ties to the Islamic State, approached homes in Mayba in the territory of Lubero to which twenty Christian men and women came out and were captured; further notes that the ADF surrounded the village and captured a further 50 Christians, took them to a Protestant Church in Kasanga and murdered them; highlights that this is a heinous act of violence against civilians and that the perpetrators must be held accountable for these widespread violations of human rights; calls upon the government and their international counterparts to prioritise civilian protection in DRC where armed groups are operating; and further calls upon those of faith to remain in prayer for vulnerable communities and these grieving families.