Pope Francis Appeals for Peace in DR Congo

Pope Francis appeals to national and international authorities to intervene and put an end to the escalating violence in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, where a devastating surge in violence has resulted in the loss of dozens of lives in North Kivu province over the past week.

Concluding his weekly Sunday prayers in St. Peter’s Square, the Pope lamented the devastating loss of numerous Christian lives, among others, in the recent violence.

“Painful news continues to arrive of battles and massacres that are happening in the Eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo.”

“I appeal to the national authorities and the international community to do all that is possible to stop the violence and to protect civilian lives,” the Pope added.

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Pope Francis also called on faithfuls to pray for peace in various regions ravaged by conflict, particularly highlighting Ukraine, the Holy Land, Sudan, and Myanmar, where violent conflicts have caused immense suffering.

In the latest wave of violence in Congo’s North Kivu province, at least 41 people have been killed, according to government sources.

However, local civil society groups report a significantly higher death toll. The attacks in the Beni region have been attributed to the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) militant group. Since the start of the month, the province has seen a surge in violence, with nearly 150 people killed in attacks blamed on Islamic State-linked rebels.

For decades, the eastern part of the DRC has been ravaged by armed violence and conflict, as over 120 rival factions clash over territorial control, political power, and rich mineral deposits, perpetuating a seemingly intractable cycle of violence and instability.