At least 70 beheaded bodies found in church in Democratic Republic of Congo

On February 14, at least 70 beheaded bodies were found in the Kasanga Protestant church in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Most of the victims were believed to be hostages of the Allied Defense Forces (ADF) rebels. The discovery occurred in a deserted area where locals had sought refuge from repeated attacks. Reports indicate that the victims were decapitated with machetes. This incident coincides with renewed violence in eastern Congo, where M23 rebels have advanced towards Bukavu, escalating their conflict with government forces. The M23 group has gained control of Goma and is reportedly backed by Rwandan forces.