In an appearance Monday on Newsmax, Franklin Graham called for international intervention in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where thousands of Christians have been killed in recent years by Islamist militants.
Graham, president of Samaritan's Purse and CEO of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, is urging the world to act against what he describes as targeted, religiously motivated violence against Christians in the Congo.
"They're in the Congo. Two hundred thirty-seven [killed] since Christmas. The 70 was in February, but 237 since Christmas and this year," Graham said during an interview on "The Record With Greta Van Susteren." "And since 2017, I think it's a little over 6,000 Christians have been killed in the DRC."
The violence, according to Graham, is being carried out by Islamist groups, including those affiliated with the Islamic State. In one recent incident in February, militants reportedly tied up 70 Christians in a church in the city of Kasenga and beheaded them, according to Open Doors, a nonprofit that supports persecuted Christians worldwide.
"This is coming from Islam. And these are Muslim groups that are doing this, this beheading," Graham said. "And their goal is to force everyone to become a Muslim. And they're not going to stop until everyone is either dead, fled, or has converted to Islam."
Despite the growing danger, Samaritan's Purse, the international Christian relief organization Graham leads, continues to operate in the DRC. "There's hospitals there that we support. And it's getting more and more dangerous. But we're still there. We haven't run," he said.
When asked why Christians continue to serve in such dangerous areas, Graham pointed to the example of Jesus Christ.
"We follow the example that Jesus Christ set in the Scripture," he said. "Jesus used his power as the Son of God to bring healing to people's bodies. He saved people, and that's what we feel that we should do — to go into the world and proclaim the gospel."
Graham emphasized the central message of the Christian faith, especially during the Easter season. "God sent his son from heaven to this Earth to take our sins. That is why Jesus died," he said. "But on the third day, God raised him to life. Jesus is not dead. He's alive. We believe this. This is what we want the world to know."
He added that while Samaritan's Purse remains active near areas of recent attacks, outside help is desperately needed.
"We need to pray for these people. I don't see any hope for that part of the world unless someone intervenes and tries to help them," Graham said. "And again, Samaritan's Purse is working there and not far from where this took place."
The Islamic State-affiliated group known as the Allied Democratic Forces has been blamed for the ongoing violence, which has claimed thousands of Christian lives and displaced many more.
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