Pope Francis has appealed to national and international authorities to take action to stop the bloodshed in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo following a week in which dozens were killed in the North Kivu province.
He said many Christians were among the victims of the recent attacks. Francis said they were “killed in hatred of their faith” and described them as “martyrs”
The Pope also urged people to pray for peace in all areas afflicted by war, specifically mentioning Ukraine, the Holy Land, Sudan and Myanmar.
The Congolese government claims extremists killed at least 41 people in the most recent event in the province, but civil society groups estimate the death toll is far higher.
The authorities blame the recent series of attacks in Beni on the Allied Democratic Forces group.
Since the beginning of the month, about 150 people have been killed in North Kivu by fighters loyal to the Islamic State organization.
For decades, the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo has been plagued by armed conflict as more than 120 groups compete for power, land, and vital minerals.
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