Pope Francis: 'Shameful silence' perpetuates attacks on Congolese people

Pope Francis lamented the recent and one of the worst massacres in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), whose people suffered the indifference of the world.

The Pope brought attention to a highly neglected part of the world during his Angelus for the feast of the Assumption on Monday and condemned the massacre of at least 36 Christians on the night of Aug. 13.

"My thoughts go to the people of North Kivu, in the Democratic Republic of Congo, who have been recently hit with fresh massacres, which have for some time been perpetrated in shameful silence, without attracting even as much as our attention. Unfortunately, they are part of the too many innocent people who have no weight on world opinion," said the pontiff, as reported by the Catholic Herald.

According to World Watch Monitor, a rising yet-unknown militia group might be responsible for the massacre which is considered to be the deadliest since the sectarian attack in November 2014. This new rebel group tied up their victims and hacked them to death.

Congo's military suspected the jihadist group Allied Democratic Forces-National Association for the Liberation of Uganda (ADF-NALU) for retaliating the recent military operations in the area. Also known as Muslim Defense International (MDI), the infamous militia started in Uganda 20 years ago and infiltrated Congo after being pushed back by the Uganda government.

ADF massacred more than 500 civilians in Congo since 2014. The country is home to a predominantly Christian population.

They're also believed to be behind the killings of nine Christians last month.

"We do not understand why this is happening to us," a local pastor named Jean told an aid worker for Open Doors International (ODI).

The local pastor added that the rebels take the people into the bush in order to kill or kidnap them.

"They attack one place for a while and cause people to run away. Then they strike the places people run to," he said.