Africa has long been a dream destination for intrepid globe trotters. Generations of adventurous souls have embarked on safaris, explored vast savannas and photographed exotic wildlife. Colorful cultural traditions and ethnic foods have added to the continent’s allure. Nowadays, however, international reports are casting worrisome shadows across Africa, especially for those of us who focus on international religious freedom.

Last November, shocking news stories reported that ISIS was attacking civilians in Mozambique, abducting women and children and torching homes. Al Jazeera described innocent people—many of them Catholics—being “herded” to their death on a soccer field, where they were systematically decapitated and dismembered. On March 10, the Associated Press announced, “The Biden administration on Wednesday designated two Islamic State affiliates in Mozambique and the Democratic Republic of Congo as ‘foreign terrorist organizations,’ imposing wide-ranging sanctions on the groups.”