Al-Shabab creates more terror in Kenya

 During the morning of Tuesday, April 9, suspected al-Shabab members killed a farmer in Bobo, Hindi, a Christian village in Kenya that the Islamic extremist group attacked in 2022.

Later that afternoon, the militants barricaded a road in the Milihoi area in Lamu County, a route between Mpeketoni and Hindi they travel often. They shot two travelers and set several vehicles on fire.

Lamu West Deputy County Commissioner Gabriel Kioni confirmed the attack and stated that only one person had died and that two people suffered minor injuries.

Security officers responded quickly to the attack and pursued the extremists but were unable to apprehend them. After additional security officers arrived, vehicles traveling through Lamu were stopped and inspected. Some travelers to Hindi and Mokowe chose to detour through Mpeketoni out of fear of further attacks.

“We spent the night awake and alert since we know that the terrorists like attacking during or at the end of the holy month of Ramadan,” an ICC staffer said.

One Christian survivor of the attack said the militants forced him to recite the Shahada, an Islamic statement of faith, to determine if he was Muslim. After he lied and claimed he did not know the Shahada well because he had recently converted to Islam, the militants released him.

Al-Shabab is known to have crossed into Kenya and made people recite the Shahada to determine if they are Muslim. Those who do not recite it are considered Christians and are often beaten or killed.

“We have mobilized our prayer cells to pray that Lamu doesn’t continue to experience this hatred by the Somalia-based terror group that has crippled church growth and the economy of the residents of Lamu,” the ICC staffer said. “We are requesting our brothers and sisters all over the world to join us in prayer against terrorism and persecution of believers in Lamu.”

ICC will continue to monitor the situation and release further information as it becomes available.

For interviews, please email press@persecution.org. 

Somalia is one of the worst countries in the world

 Did you know that more people from Somalia live outside of Somalia instead of within Somalia?  The reason is due to Islam.  Islam has made Somalia one of the worst countries in the world.  

Often cited as the world's best example of a “failed state,” Somalia has for several decades suffered from lawlessness and deprivation. Much of the country is extremely dangerous for anyone, and so it's no surprise that members of its tiny Christian minority lead lives of constant fear.  

There are also thousands of Somali Christians outside Somalia. Despite having escaped their troubled homeland, they still often face isolation and danger, largely due to members of the Somali expat community who revile them for abandoning Islam.  

Few countries other than North Korea are more inhospitable toward Christianity than Somalia, an East African nation of about 16 million, almost all of whom are Muslim.  

The U.S. Department of State reports that only 1,000 Christians live in Somalia. However, some sources — such as the Somali Bible Society — give a drastically higher number. 

Ali (real name withheld for safety reasons), a Somali Christian in Uganda, agrees with the U.S. Department of State estimate. He adds, though, that there are “more than 5,000 Somali Christians outside of Somalia.” Ali says the number is growing slowly “because it's not easy to preach the gospel to Somalis.”  

Interestingly, though, at least one Christian organization has Somalia ranked far above the world average in terms of its evangelical annual growth rate.  

It's so difficult to be a Somali Christian that many might wonder why they would choose to convert. 

Naomi (a pseudonym), a Somali Christian who helps produce Somali Christian TV, says that a significant portion of Somali Christian converts became so after growing disillusioned by the widespread killing of Muslims by other Muslims in Somalia.  

Ali says that evangelizing through social media has also led a considerable number of Somalis to convert to Christianity.  

It's quite a decision to make: If discovered, everyone you know will likely disown you — or worse.  

Ali says that, throughout most of Somalia, any Somali Christian who publicly “announces themselves will be killed.” 

Just having a piece of ostensibly Christian literature could be enough to warrant lethal violence.  

Though some of the attacks on Somali Christians are the work of the Somali terrorist group al-Shabab, such violence is by no means relegated to the terrorist fringe. Rather, it reflects the mainstream Somali viewpoint, which predominates among those in power as well as among the impoverished masses comprising much of the bereft countryside.  
“Outwardly, all Somali Muslims must support attacks on Somali Christians because otherwise they may not be seen as Muslim,” says Naomi. “Some, inwardly, may disagree but, due to the nature of the Somali community, they must appear to the others as though they condemn Somali Christians.” 

If a Somali Muslim shows any sign of sympathy to the Somali Christians, then “somebody would suspect that they are an infidel … and they themselves could be in danger of being persecuted or killed,” says Naomi.  

Even Somalis who were raised Christian risk being killed for their faith.  

Ali relates that he still communicates with Somali Christians in the ravaged capital city of Mogadishu.  

The Somali capital has a tiny community of elderly Catholics who grew up in an era when there was heavy Italian influence in Somalia, which became an independent country in 1960. Some of these longtime Christians have died of old age, while others have been murdered.  

Though the danger for Somali Christians is less extreme outside Somalia, that doesn't necessarily mean it's safe.  

Somali pastors have been attacked in Ethiopia and murdered in Kenya, where many Somali Christians must live with the ongoing prospect of an attack from Somali Muslims. Even if they succeed in avoiding violence for years, they might go out for water one evening, and then the attack finally comes. Or they might fall victim to a home invasion, among other violations.  

Somalis who are seen outside churches in foreign countries have faced severe consequences. (This type of persecution is not an issue within Somalia, which no longer has any intact church buildings.) 

Naomi relates that, even in Europe, Somali Christians have faced physical assault after Somali Muslims spotted them walking out of a church.  

“Somalis have a culture of policing one another’s religion and it is the community’s responsibility to enact the punishment if somebody leaves Islam or they even suspect this,” says Naomi. Such punishment includes “harassment, persecution, excommunication and sometimes physical violence,” she relates.  

“Many have had their whole family desert them and this also leads to Somali believers being very isolated,” says Naomi, adding, “For their own safety, [Somali Christians] must move away from the Somali expat communities.”         

Be it inside or outside Somalia, “Known Somali Christians are not allowed to socialize with Somali Muslims,” says Aweis A. Ali, who adds that, “Many Somali Christians develop mental health issues because of the persecution and isolation.”   

Aweis, who has a Ph.D. from Africa Nazarene University in Nairobi, converted to Christianity in 1986, while living in Mogadishu. He is now a pastor and author of books on Somalia and Christianity.  

“Many Somali Christians have been killed, kidnapped, assaulted, or put through forced reconversion” in such countries as Ethiopia, Kenya, and Djibouti, says Aweis. In Europe and North America, the acts perpetrated against Somali Christians are typically less severe but can still involve “threats, discrimination, beatings and occasional poisoning,” he says.  

Aweis, who often visits the U.S., says that “most Somali Muslims in the U.S. can tolerate [his] Christian faith,” but that this first acceptance changes to “intense hostility” when they find out that he has preached to Somali Muslims. “To them, this is an unforgivable sin that deserves the death penalty under Sharia law,” he says. 

Despite facing threats against his life and ongoing abuse on social media, Aweis remains undeterred. He says Somalis will continue to become Christian because of “dreams and visions” and the “loving and caring believers who witness to them.” 

There are many Somalis, though, who have little use for such 'dreams and visions.' Aweis believes that over 90% of Somali Muslims approve of attacks on Somali Christians. He knows all about anti-Christian violence, having served as the co-pastor of a house church in Mogadishu that, due to a series of attacks between 1994 and 1996, saw 12 of its 14 members murdered.  

Even if they worship exclusively within their own homes, Somali Christians must face the grim truth that most of their people despise them.  

And Ali, the Somali Christian in Uganda, says that, whether they are inside the homeland or half a world away, “It's always dangerous for Somali Christians to stay around Somali Muslims.”     

Terrorists kill 23 Christians last week in Nigeria

 Over three days between Feb. 16-19, suspected Islamic terrorists killed 23 Christians, injured 10, kidnapped five, and set 28 houses ablaze across multiple villages. Locals are unsure if the attacks were coordinated by the same perpetrators or separate incidents.  

On Friday, Feb. 16, suspected Islamic terrorists invaded the Kwassam community in Kauru County of Benue State, burned six people alive, and kidnapped five others including a well-known banker.  

Then, in the early morning of Feb. 18, suspected Islamic terrorists killed 11 Christians and burned down 28 houses in Adama Dutse village in Kaduna State. Villagers who confirmed the attack said, “The attackers were on many motorcycles, shouting ‘Allah Akbar’ [God is Greatest].” Many residents were asleep when the terrorists launched the early morning attack. 

“Police came seven hours after the attack to take photos and ask questions,” said Audu Tanko from Kajuru County. “There is tension now in my village. We are killed because of our faith in Jesus." 

A day later, suspected terrorists attacked a Christian community in Katsina, the home state of former president Muhammadu Buhari. 

The terrorists stormed the village of Nasarawa in Faskari County of Katsina State late Monday with heavy arms including AK-47s. Police spokesman Abubakar Aliyu said, “In total, six people were shot dead and about 10 injured. The gunmen also set ablaze three houses and about 10 vehicles.” 

For interviews, please contact press@persecution.org. 

Surge of religious persecution in North Africa in January 2024

 

01/24/2024 North Africa (International Christian Concern) – In the past several months, North Africa has seen a disturbing surge in persecution of its national Christians, with Mauritania, Algeria, and Libya at the forefront of escalating hostilities against Christians. This unsettling trend sheds light on the complex interplay of political, religious, and social factors that contribute to the challenges faced by Christian minorities in the region. 

Mauritania: The Arrest and Release of 15 Christians 

Mauritania is an Islamic Republic and while constitutionally does not outlaw Christianity, capital punishment for apostasy and blasphemy from Islam is outlined in the country’s legal code. Proselytizing or promoting any other religion other than Islam is also not allowed in Mauritania. In December 2023, a video went viral locally of a Mauritanian baptism, which led to a government crackdown with 15 Christians detained and then later released after several weeks of national debate concerning the nation’s tiny, but growing, Christian minority.  

Algeria: Church Closures and Crackdown on Pastors 

Neighboring Algeria has not been exempted from the wave of persecution. Reports over the past few years show a series of church closures and a crackdown on pastors, signalling a concerning violation of religious freedom. Both long-time registered protestant churches as well as house churches have been revealed, raided and Christians detain from practicing their faith in Algeria. The targeted nature of these actions raises questions about the motives behind such measures and denial of crackdowns on Christians.  

Libya: Government Searches for Christians Online and Through Connections 

In Libya, a divided nation grappling with post-conflict challenges, local governments and militia’s intensified efforts to find and detain Christians have added to the growing concerns. The use of online surveillance and connections to track down individuals based on their religious affiliation underscores the extent to which religious persecution has infiltrated even the digital realm. The breakdown in law and order in the fractured nation puts any Libyan even suspected of interested in Christianity in grave danger of being detained, tortured, or even killed.  

What Is Behind this Disturbing Trend? 

The surge in persecution against Christians in North Africa can be attributed to a confluence of factors: 

Political Factors in the Region 

The New Year as brought a sharper divide between the Muslim majority world and the Western world order. While a complex geopolitical factor that reaches far beyond North Africa, the ongoing conflict in Israel-Gaza is perceived by many in the Muslim majority world as a form of Western tyranny against Muslim lands. The United States is still seen by many around the world as a center of global Christian evangelicalism, and with most America’s evangelicals firmly putting their political support behind Israel in the latest Middle East conflict, North African protestant groups (which represent the majority of indigenous Christians in North African countries) are experiencing great backlash and persecution through assumed association. Hence in the deeply Islamic nations of North Africa, the tiny numbers of national Christians, particularly protestant groups that come from Muslim backgrounds, are sometimes unfairly perceived and suspected as siding with the “Christian West” and/or “Zionism.” 

Perceived Growth of Christians in a Deeply Islamic Cultures 

The perceived growth of Christian communities in predominantly Muslim nations in North Africa has heightened anxieties among certain segments of the population, especially extremist Islamic groups. In some cases, Christians are viewed as a threat to the prevailing religious and social order, leading to increased discrimination and persecution. 

In deeply Muslim-majority nations, there exists a longstanding hostility toward anyone who converts to Christianity. This stems from a deeply ingrained sense of religious identity, where any deviation from the majority community faith is met with suspicion and unfortunately sometimes extreme cases of persecution. The challenge lies in fostering greater religious tolerance within these societies and proving that despite being Christians, they are still good citizens and are a central part of the fabric of the cultures that they represent.  

For interviews, please contact:  press@persecution.org.  

Since 1995, ICC has served the global persecuted church through a three-pronged approach of assistance, advocacy, and awareness. ICC exists to bandage the wounds of persecuted Christians and to build the church in the toughest parts of the world.

Muslims kill almost 200 in Nigeria on Christmas Eve

 Suspected Nigerian Fulani militias attacked 21 Christian villages in the Bokkos,  Barkin Ladi, and Mangu counties of Plateau State on Christmas Eve, killing nearly 200 villagers according to government officials and humanitarian groups. The number of dead is expected to rise as families continue to search for missing loved ones. 

On Thursday, Plateau State Commissioner of Information and Communication Hon. Musa Ashoms reported 195 people killed during the Christmas Eve attacks, and villagers were still missing. He told communities to defend themselves and take up arms as needed.  

Amnesty International Nigeria reported 194 people killed in Plateau State including 148 in Bokkos, 27 in Barkin Ladi, and 19 in Mangu. The Nigerian Red Cross reported 161 deaths and 32,604 people affected. The attack touched 84 communities in Bokkos and Barkin Ladi and left 29,350 people displaced. In addition, 301 people were injured and 27 houses burned. 

Witnesses said that scant security was present to repel the attacks that lasted more than seven hours. 

“More dead bodies were found in the bush today,” said Timothy, a local from Mbar village in Bokkos County. “Yes, my village was attacked on Christmas Eve, and other villages close to my community. Many houses were burnt including my church. I can’t say how many people were killed but we found more dead bodies today and we are looking for missing ones.” 

Naomi, a resident of Mayong, lost four family members in the attack and fled to an IDP (Internally Displaced Persons) camp. “My house was burnt, and I mourned on Christmas day,” she said. 

Ezekiel Peter Bini Condole, president of the Irigwe Youth Development Association covering Bokkos, Barkin Ladi, and Mangu called on Nigeria President Bola Tinubu to do more to protect Christians. He said that Christians in Plateau State should be compensated by the government for their losses. Condole added that there are threats of more attacks to wipe out Christians, and he called on U.S. President Joe Biden to pressure Nigeria’s leaders to stop the killings. 

Nigeria is one of the most dangerous places for Christians, particularly in the Middle Belt region. International Christian Concern (ICC) listed Nigeria in its annual Persecutors of the Year report the last three years. More than 50,000 Christians have been killed in the Middle Belt region over the past 20 years, and millions have been displaced. 

For interviews, please contact:  press@persecution.org. 

Have you ever wondered why Bangladesh and Sri Lanka are crappy countries?

 In countries like Myanmar and Nigeria, acts of persecution against Christians are more likely to make news reports because of their extreme violence. But in many other locations, persecution typically takes on a more subtle form. It likely won’t make any media outlet and might not have any documentation at all. But it’s still an ever-present issue that diminishes the quality of life for many Christians.  

One place where such persecution occurs is Bangladesh, a South Asian nation with an overall population of 170 million, where over 90% of the people are Muslim and most of the remaining portion are Hindu.  

Thomas (real name withheld to protect identity), a Christian in Bangladesh, says that many people “express their desire for conversion” to Christianity, but they don’t follow through with it due to “threats of killing and persecution.” 

Many children in Bangladesh “grow up with a nasty mentality to hate other faiths,” says Thomas. In the villages, these children often target the Christian families “to steal and destroy farms and gardens.” He adds that when Christians protest such behavior, then things become more aggressive.  

In the cities, says Thomas, anti-Christian sentiment can surface through harassment from non-Christian employees or having non-Christian employees refuse to cooperate with the Christian employee. The Christian employee might also get stuck with job duties on a Sunday, so that they might have to choose between attending church or keeping their job.  

Thomas isn’t sure exactly what percent of Bangladeshi Muslims support acts of persecution against Christians. He says, though, that it doesn’t take much to spoil the “full bucket of milk.” 

He gives the example in which you might have “just one person doing anti-Christian activities in a large Muslim family.” Maybe the other family members “silently support it,” or maybe they themselves “are also afraid” of their hostile family member. It can be very difficult for an outsider to determine which case is the reality. But either way, nobody discourages the person from acting on his hostility.  

Thomas says that “anti-Christian mentality is present throughout” the country among Muslims who are either uneducated or who study in fundamentalist madrassas which teach that Bengali is not a Muslim language, and that Islam is the only legitimate religion. “It’s enough to make a soft brain child into a violent fanatic,” says Thomas. 

Rates of Christianity are much higher among indigenous ethnic minorities in Bangladesh. Thomas says these indigenous Christians are typically “very humble and hospitable,” especially to a wandering laborer “who comes very helplessly to work in the area.” 

Thomas shares a scenario in which a Muslim might come to a Christian household to do agricultural work. The Christian family might give the Muslim some land to live on. Then, the Muslim “calls other relatives and builds a mosque with bamboo.” 

At this point, the guest might start to act like he’s the owner. Thomas says then “they become a threat to local people … they take away crops, steal fruits and vegetables, make a chaos without any cause.” At this point, the host family will have “lost their inner silence,” he adds. 

As for legal recourse, Thomas says how “without a complaint, the police have no responsibilities. And if you go to complain, you have to pay an official fee with a big bundle.”  Then, the police want evidence. “How do you show bullying and tricking?” asks Thomas.  

People tend to view filing a criminal complaint as a major source of harassment. As Thomas explains, “If the police call you to the station, you lose your daily wage and maybe even your job.” And “if the police come to your home, you need to make them happy with some external hospitality, otherwise the report will be against you.” 

“Sometimes, the village chief or higher authority supports people against the Christians,” says Randall (real name withheld to protect identity), a pastor from northern Bangladesh. He adds that Christian converts from Muslim backgrounds have a slim chance at receiving fair treatment.  

Bangladesh’s secular federal government has expressed its concern about Islamic extremism, but Randall feels that the effort they make about persecution is “not fruitful action.”

In Randall’s view, “above 90 percent of Bangladeshi Muslims support acts of persecution against Christians.” He estimates that about half of Bangladeshi Hindus support such acts. 

Another South Asian nation, Sri Lanka, has an unusual degree of religious diversity, with four major religions forming considerable percentages of the population (about 70% Buddhist, a bit more than 10% Hindu, and Christians and Muslims each a bit under 10%). 

Aside from the catastrophic 2019 Easter bombings that struck multiple churches and luxury resorts, persecution of Sri Lanka’s Christians typically isn’t of the sort that makes headlines. And yet, it can be a constant issue. 

Elias (real name withheld to protect identity), a Catholic in northern Sri Lanka, says he doesn’t know of any cases of Sri Lankans having their land taken specifically because of their Christian faith.  

“But when it comes to the workplace, [Sri Lankan] Christians face a lot of challenges,” he says. “They need to work harder than the other laborers to survive in that workplace.” And in many cases, “They’re unable to reach the top positions even if they have talents to lead,” he adds.  

Persecution against Christians in Sri Lanka is often linked to Buddhist nationalism that is prominent among the majority ethnic group, known as the Sinhalese.  

But Elias says that Sri Lanka’s Muslims persecute against Christians in a way that is disproportionately stronger than the part of the overall population they form. This type of persecution, he says, is more pronounced on the country’s eastern coast, which has a higher Muslim population.  

Meanwhile, in Bangladesh, with its overwhelming Muslim majority, some Christians are compelled to “depend on Muslim lawyers to fight against [other] Muslims” who have taken their land by coercion or with fake documents, says Thomas. These lawyers “are very clever,” he adds. They “take away money from the Christians” and then work on behalf of the Muslims.  

Thomas feels that Christians are powerless to solve this problem either legally or illegally. “So, it stays as is.”  

Making their way to Christian households are the next round of itinerant laborers. As Thomas describes, “They come as a humble cat and then become a tiger.” 

For interviews, please contact:  press@persecution.org. 

IDF bombs Christian church in Gaza

 An explosion Thursday night at St. Porphyrius Greek Orthodox Church in Gaza City destroyed the church’s assembly hall, injuring and killing dozens of people inside.  

At least 500 people, including many of Gaza’s small Christian minority, have been sheltering in the church since the war began. The explosion killed at least 40 people, including 19 Christians, according to preliminary reports. 

Neither side of the conflict has released a statement claiming responsibility for the attack. Gaza authorities state that it was an Israeli airstrike, while Israel has not yet made a statement at the time of reporting. International Christian Concern continues to monitor the situation as more information becomes known and verified. 

St. Porphyrius is an ancient church, with the church’s original site dating to the 5th century AD. It is the largest of the three churches still open in the Gaza Strip and one of the main locations where Gaza’s Christian community have been sheltering during the war, believing it to be one of the last safe places in Gaza. 

The church is administered by the Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem, which issued an official statement after the strike on their church in Gaza:  

“Despite the evident targeting of the facilities and shelters of the Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem and other churches – including the Episcopal Church of Jerusalem Hospital, other schools, and social institutions – the Patriarchate, along with the other churches, remain committed to fulfilling its religious and moral duty in providing assistance, support, and refuge to those in need, amidst continuous Israeli demands to evacuate these institutions of civilians and the pressures exerted on the churches in this regard. The Patriarchate stresses that it will not abandon its religious and humanitarian duty, rooted in its Christian values, to provide all that is necessary in times of war and peace alike.” 

For interviews, please contact:  press@persecution.org.