International observers report that ISIS-aligned militants are escalating a brutal campaign against Christians across central and southern Africa, marked by beheadings, arson, and mass displacement. The violence has been particularly severe in Mozambique and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI), a Washington, D.C.-based counter-terrorism nonprofit, has warned of a “silent genocide” unfolding against Christian populations. The group’s Vice President, Alberto Miguel Fernandez, described the situation as a “brutal, savage war that is occurring in the shadows and all too often ignored by the international community.”
In Mozambique’s northern Cabo Delgado province, the Islamic State Mozambique Province (ISMP) recently published photos documenting four attacks on “Christian villages” in the Chiure district. According to MEMRI’s analysis, the images show militants raiding communities, burning a church and homes, and displaying the beheaded bodies of two Christian civilians and a member of a local militia.
Further violence in Cabo Delgado in late July included the beheading of six Christians in the village of Natocua and the killing of another three in the Chiure district, according to reports from MEMRI and the Christian charity Barnabas Aid.
A similar pattern of violence is evident in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The Islamic State Central Africa Province (ISCAP) released photos of a July 27 attack on the Christian village of Komanda in Ituri province. Militants reportedly opened fire on a Catholic church and set fire to homes, stores, and vehicles, killing at least 45 people. The attacks were attributed to the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), an ISIS-backed group that pledged allegiance to the Islamic State in 2019.
The surge in violence has created a severe humanitarian crisis. The UN’s migration agency reported that insurgent attacks in Cabo Delgado displaced over 46,000 people in just eight days last month, with children accounting for nearly 60% of those forced to flee. The long-running conflict, compounded by drought and cyclones, has displaced more than one million people in northern Mozambique.
Fernandez, a former U.S. diplomat, stated the jihadists’ primary goal is “eliminating Christian communities,” offering Muslims a choice to join them or be killed, while Christians are simply targeted for destruction. He criticized the United Nations for its vague reporting, suggesting the organization is reluctant to acknowledge the deep “anti-Christian animus” motivating the violence.
The instability also carries significant geopolitical risks. “That jihadist groups are in a position to take over… several countries in Africa… is very dangerous for the national security of the United States, let alone the security of the poor people who are there,” Fernandez warned. He described the situation as a “whack-a-mole” scenario, where the defeat of ISIS in the Middle East has led its affiliates to seek weaker territories to expand their influence.
Mozambique has been battling the insurgency for at least eight years, with Rwandan soldiers deployed to assist its forces. The conflict has disrupted the region’s economy, leading French company TotalEnergies to suspend a $20 billion natural gas project in 2021. In response to the latest displacements, Doctors Without Borders has launched an emergency operation to assist thousands now living in camps.
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