Muslim extremists strike again in Egypt

 Around 11 p.m. on Tuesday, April 23, Islamic extremists set fire to several homes and shops owned by Coptic Orthodox Christians in Al-Fawakher village in Saft Al-Khammar Al-Gharbiya, Minya Governorate.

As the flames grew, the extremists attempted to prevent Christians from leaving their burning homes. However, authorities reported that there were no fatalities. 

The attack occurred after word spread that residents of the village, which is home to 3,000 Christian families, had obtained a permit to construct a church building. Some associated with the church received threats after the building permit was issued, prompting Abna Makarios, Archbishop of Minya, to alert authorities. 

Despite promises of safety from security forces, the cries of help from the archbishop and the local Coptic community went unanswered as the attack unfolded. Security forces arrived only after the attack, leaving a yet unknown number of Christians to perish in their burning homes. 

Extremists later shared a video on social media showing Coptic homes on fire as a song praising the attack played in the background. 

Early Wednesday morning, the archbishop posted on Facebook that authorities had contained the fire and arrested the suspects. 

For interviews, please email 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.

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.