42 acquitted for riot in Pakistan

International Christian Concern (ICC) has learned that the Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in Lahore has acquitted and ordered the release of 42 Christians accused of participating in the deadly Youhanabad riots that followed the bombing of two churches in 2015. The verdict was reached after settlements were agreed upon with the families of two Muslim men who were wrongfully killed by the rioters.

On March 15, 2015, suicide bombers from the Pakistani Taliban attacked Christ Church and St. John’s Catholic Church in the predominantly Christian neighborhood of Youhanabad, located in Lahore, Pakistan. As a result of those attacks, 15 people were killed, including 11 Christians and four Muslims. Following the bombings, enraged Christians took to the streets in protest. There, two Muslim men, Babar Noman and Hafiz Naeem, were wrongfully accused of participating in the bombings and were lynched by the mob.

In response, Pakistani authorities unleashed a campaign of mass arrests in Youhanabad. Christian men suspected of participating in the March 15 riots were arrested and taken into custody for questioning. For weeks, reports of abuse and torture quickly circulated among Youhanabad’s Christian community.

In 2016, the ATC indicted 42 Christians for their alleged participation in the riots and the lynching of Noman and Naeem. All were remanded to judicial custody where abuse and poor living conditions were regularly reported by the prisoners’ families. As a result of this abuse and the poor living conditions, two Christians, Indrias Masih and Usman Shaukat, died in custody in 2017.

The remaining Christian prisoners filed an application under Section 345 of the Code of Criminal Procedure which claimed they should be released because they had reached a settlement with the families of Noman and Naeem. The ATC accepted this application and acquitted all suspects, including the two who died in custody, after evidence of the settlement with Noman’s and Naeem’s families was presented to the court.

The families of the 40 remaining prisoners have welcomed the settlement and the ATC’s verdict. Many families have reported being pleased to see the return of their loved ones after almost five years of imprisonment.

ICC’s Regional Manager, William Stark, said, “International Christian Concern is happy to see the peaceful settlement of the Youhanabad riots and arrests after almost five years. The bombings of the two churches and the deadly riots that followed truly marked a dark day in Pakistan’s history. We hope that important lessons can be learned from this tragedy. Lessons that will bring greater protection for Christian places of worship and open dialogue between Pakistan’s religious communities to settle religious disputes.”

For interviews, please contact Olivia Miller, Communications Coordinator: press@persecution.org. 

About ICC
International Christian Concern is a non-partisan, 501(c)(3) charitable organization focused on human rights, religious freedom and assisting the persecuted Christian Church around the world.

Media Contact
Olivia Miller, Communications Coordinator
E-mail: press@persecution.org
Phone: (301)-859-3842

International Christian Concern
2020 Pennsylvania Ave. NW #941, Washington, D.C. 20006
www.persecution.org | E-mail: icc@persecution.org

Here is why the PKK are labeled as terrorists

International Christian Concern (ICC) has learned that on January 11, 2020, the elderly parents of a Chaldean Catholic priest in Turkey disappeared. The absence of Hurmuz and Simoni Diril was discovered the following day, and their son was informed that it was a kidnapping. The man who witnessed the abduction said that the couple was taken by PKK members, two men and one woman.

An investigation into the disappearance remains ongoing by the Turkish authorities. A search for their location has so far proven unfruitful, and winter weather conditions have made the search challenging. The abduction occurred in the village of Mehr, in Şırnak Province, a rocky mountainous region in Turkey’s southeast, near the Iraqi border. This area is known to have an active PKK presence. The PKK is a Kurdish militant group designated by the US State Department as a terrorist organization.

Mehr is historically an Assyrian Christian village which has been repeatedly caught in the crosshairs of various conflicts. The village had previously been evacuated in 1989 and 1992 because of the conflict between the PKK and Turkish army. Ten years ago, the Diril couple had returned to the village despite the dangers in an attempt to rebuild. Their son, Father Adday Ramzi Diril, is a Chaldean Catholic priest based in Istanbul, known internationally for his pastoral care of 7,000 Iraqi Christian refugees displaced in Turkey.

Juliana Taimoorazy, president of the Iraqi Christian Relief Council, said, “The kidnapping of this innocent Assyrian Christian couple only plants new fears in our community’s hearts and it expedites the exodus of Christians from their ancestral lands. We appeal to the Turkish government to make all efforts to rescue the kidnapped couple, and to bring the perpetrators swiftly to justice. We appeal to the international community to break its silence on the persecution of Middle Eastern Christians.”

“The kidnapping of the Diril couple shows how multiple those who target Christians in the region are and why they should never be allowed to get away with their crimes,” said Uzay Bulut, a Turkish journalist. “Their aim is to make Assyrian (Christians) flee and steal the lands and properties that they are forced to leave behind. The more Assyrians are supported and empowered, the more difficult it will be for the potential perpetrators to target and harm them.”

Claire Evans, ICC’s Regional Manager for the Middle East, said, “We are extremely concerned for the welfare of the Diril family. This abduction has sent shockwaves throughout the Assyrian Christian community, especially among displaced Iraqi Christians who have personally benefited from the love and care that the Diril family has poured into their community. It is a targeted incident that unfortunately shows how hard it is for Christians to live safely in the Middle East. We are grateful for the ongoing investigation, and pray for the safe and speedy return of the Diril couple.”

For interviews, please contact Olivia Miller, Communications Coordinator: press@persecution.org. 

About ICC
International Christian Concern is a non-partisan, 501(c)(3) charitable organization focused on human rights, religious freedom and assisting the persecuted Christian Church around the world.

Media Contact
Olivia Miller, Communications Coordinator
E-mail: press@persecution.org
Phone: (301)-859-3842

International Christian Concern
2020 Pennsylvania Ave. NW #941, Washington, D.C. 20006
www.persecution.org | E-mail: icc@persecution.org

Stinginess abounds in Nigeria

International Christian Concern (ICC) has learned that Boko Haram, the Islamic insurgent group based out of northeastern Nigeria, has executed Reverend Lawan Andimi, who served as the Local Council Chapter Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and also as a pastor with the Church of the Brethren Nigeria (EYN) at the District Church Council of Michika. Rev. Lawan was abducted when the insurgent group attacked his town on January 2. The pastor is survived by his wife and nine children.

Less than a week after his abduction, Boko Haram released a proof of life video in which Rev. Lawan asked for the governor of Adamawa to help secure his release. He, however, also said that he was not scared. He said, “I have never been discouraged because of all conditions that one finds himself is in the hand of God.” He continued to explain that he felt no anger or hatred toward those who had taken him, saying, “I believe they didn’t do anything wrong to me. I still believe God, who made them to act in such a way, is still alive and will make all arrangements. By the grace of God, I will be together with my wife and my children and all my colleagues. If the opportunity has not been granted, maybe it is the will of God.”

Despite his courage and strong faith, the group, believed to be part of the Abubakar Shekau faction, executed Rev. Lawan on Monday, January 20. According to reports, Boko Haram was demanding a two million euro ransom for the release of Andimi, but the local church, which has been devastated after years of Boko Haram harassment, was only able to raise approximately 4,000 euros.

Rev. Tomborokai Robert Gajere, the former chaplain for the government house in Yola, Adamawa, told ICC, “We are all saddened by the news of the assassination of Rev. Andimi. I used to call him my storytelling friend. The news took all of us by surprise…We are really in shock.” When asked which sect of Boko Haram he thought was responsible, he said they first thought it had been Fulani militias, but was sad and scared to find out it was actually Boko Haram.

Rev. Eston Nzelanyeine, the vice-chairman of the Numan branch of CAN, said that he and other clergy in Adamawa are now fearful of attacks. He said, “My brother, I felt so bad and confused. It makes me feel so unsafe as well. For my fellow brethren in the ministry of Christ to be killed like that, after his appeal in a tape released by Boko Haram; I am so scared. We do not have a government.” These kinds of continued attacks have lessened the faith of the people in their government’s ability and desire to protect them.

Nathan Johnson, ICC’s Regional Manager for Africa, said, “Attacks on Christians continue to grow in northeastern Nigeria since late last year. This attack, along with the killing of another pastor in Adamawa, has shown a great desire by Boko Haram to attack and kill Christians. Along with the video of the 11 killed on Christmas, Boko Haram has shown that they have a special hatred for Christians above other groups in Nigeria. The Nigerian government must do more to stop the spread of Boko Haram before they kill thousands more.”

For interviews, please contact Olivia Miller, Communications Coordinator: press@persecution.org. 

About ICC
International Christian Concern is a non-partisan, 501(c)(3) charitable organization focused on human rights, religious freedom and assisting the persecuted Christian Church around the world.

Media Contact
Olivia Miller, Communications Coordinator
E-mail: press@persecution.org
Phone: (301)-859-3842

International Christian Concern
2020 Pennsylvania Ave. NW #941, Washington, D.C. 20006
www.persecution.org | E-mail: icc@persecution.org

Kidnapped politician in Myanmar released

International Christian Concern (ICC) has learned that Christian parliamentarian U Hawi Tin, who was abducted on November 3, 2019 by the Arakan Army (AA), has been released today.

The member of the Upper House for Chin State called his wife, Daw Khin Ei Sint, to inform her of his release, nearly three months after he was seized by AA fighters from a passenger ferry on the Kaladan River in Chin’s Paletwa township.

“We just talked with him on the phone,” she told Myanmar Times. “He didn't tell me his location. A teacher was also released with him. I am happy. I think he might be home by this evening."

Irrawaddy reports that his family members met him and were on their way home with him.

“Five relatives met him at Pwi Wone Village on the border between Kyauktaw and Paletwa townships and now they are on their way home to Paletwa. They will arrive in Paletwa late this evening. We are happy that he is safe and healthy,” said U Soe Htet, the Chin State municipal minister.

According to a statement by the AA, U Hawi Tin was released because “the Rakhine and Khumi are like brothers, living in harmony with understanding and trust. We want to rebuild trust and friendship between the two communities, and reconciliation in the long term, so we decided to release U Hawi Tin at a safe place in Paletwa on Jan. 21.”

Only 10 days ago, the AA insisted on keeping him in detention, saying that the group had security concerns if he was released. The AA also questioned him over allegations that he was an informant, providing the Burmese Army with intelligence.

The AA is active in western Myanmar, specifically in Chin state and Rakhine state. It seeks to establish an independent Buddhist Rakhine state, and is at war with the Burmese Army. Politicians and ethnic Chin Christians often fall victim to abductions by the AA, which the group uses as bargaining chips with the government.

Gina Goh, ICC’s Regional Manager for Southeast Asia, said, “While we rejoice at the release of MP Hawi Tin, especially after many have rallied together to call for his safe return in recent months, we continue to call on the Arakan Army to stop the abduction of innocent individuals in western Myanmar.”

For interviews, please contact Olivia Miller, Communications Coordinator: press@persecution.org. 

About ICC
International Christian Concern is a non-partisan, 501(c)(3) charitable organization focused on human rights, religious freedom and assisting the persecuted Christian Church around the world.

Media Contact
Olivia Miller, Communications Coordinator
E-mail: press@persecution.org
Phone: (301)-859-3842

International Christian Concern
2020 Pennsylvania Ave. NW #941, Washington, D.C. 20006
www.persecution.org | E-mail: icc@persecution.org

Terrorists kill teachers in Garissa

International Christian Concern has learned that three Christian teachers from Kamuthe Primary School in Garissa, Kenya, were killed by the Somali-based terror group al-Shabaab in the early hours of January 13, 2020. The armed militants ambushed Kamuthe village around 2:00 a.m., targeting the school’s resource center that hosted the teachers. Prior to the ambush, the attackers destroyed a telecommunication tool in an effort to paralyze communication as they carried out their heinous attack.

Mr. Robert Kibutu, a teacher who resides outside of the school’s residential area, confirmed the attack, saying, “My fellow teachers were fatally shot by an unknown number of suspected al-Shabaab militia who stormed Kamuthe primary school early this morning and leaving one severely injured by two gunshots. We are sad and at the same time scared because we are targeted for being non-local government workers that belong to the Christian faith.”

Those killed were Caleb Mutua, Titus Ushindi, and Samuel Muthui Kyonzu. Joshua Mutua survived with serious leg injuries.

According to the region's security head, “One local teacher was taken away by the militants and a non-local female nurse [was] spared due to [her] gender.”

Today's attack comes against the backdrop of a series of attacks from the terrorist group in the last five weeks, leading to the loss of 25 people total in Wajir, Lamu, Mandera, and Garissa. On December 6, 2019, four teachers were among the 11 non-local Christian passengers killed en route to Mandera from Nairobi when al-Shabaab flagged down the bus they were traveling in. The militants separated the passengers and killed those on the spot who failed to recite the Islamic Shahada.

Security intelligence agencies are warning of potential attacks in the coming days when Kenya marks the deadliest murder of its forces in El Adde, Somalia, on January 15, 2016, and the DusitD2 attack on January 15, 2019. It is common for al-Shabaab to commemorate anniversaries by carrying out more attacks.

ICC’s Regional Manager for Africa, Nathan Johnson, commented, “We pray for the families of the deceased and for peace to come to a region that has seen increased violence toward Christians who are just trying to survive. We hope that the government will take effective action to stop the senseless killing of so many Christians in Kenya at the hands of Islamic extremists like al-Shabaab. We praise God as the refuge and strong tower that He is for our persecuted brothers and sisters in Christ who continue to endure so much.”

For interviews, please contact Olivia Miller, Communications Coordinator: press@persecution.org. 

About ICC
International Christian Concern is a non-partisan, 501(c)(3) charitable organization focused on human rights, religious freedom and assisting the persecuted Christian Church around the world.

Media Contact
Olivia Miller, Communications Coordinator
E-mail: press@persecution.org
Phone: (301)-859-3842

International Christian Concern
2020 Pennsylvania Ave. NW #941, Washington, D.C. 20006
www.persecution.org | E-mail: icc@persecution.org

Priest arrested in Turkey

International Christian Concern (ICC) has learned that on January 9, 2020, Turkey’s anti-terror branch arrested three Syriac Christians in a raid and transferred them to the city of Mardin, where they remain unreachable with no access to a lawyer. The exact nature of their official charges is not yet known. The names of the affected Christians are: Father Sefer (Aho) Bileçen from the Monastery of Mar Yaqoub al-Suruji, Musa Tash Takin from the village of Sidri, and Youssef Yar from the village of Üçköy.

A statement by the Assyrian Monitor for Human Rights expressed their “full solidarity with the three Christian detainees. We hold the Turkish authorities fully legal [responsible] for their physical integrity, and we demand that they release them immediately and without any delay.”

“These arrests have left the 3,000 remaining Christians of the Syriac-Orthodox faith and the Assyrian-Syriac ethnicity in a state of fear and confusion,” stated A Demand For Action. “This kind of behavior by the Turkish authorities is the reason why the vast majority of Christians of Tur Abdin have left the region, and live in scattered diasporas.”

The Syriac Union President, Yuhanna Aktas, told Hristiyan Haber that they “could not get any information about those detained… Why can’t we make sense of a priest who was detained?”

Uzay Bulut, a Turkish journalist, shared with ICC, “Assyrians have for centuries been targeted and massacred for their ethnicity and religion. Although they have been left all alone by the world powers, they have been so resiliently trying to hold on to their ancient homeland. And they need the voice and support of faithful Christians and all other human rights advocates more than ever now.”

“Assyrians have been exposed to physical attacks, murders, injuries, seizures through violence, harassment, intimidation, threats, kidnappings, and illegal confiscations of their properties mostly by the Kurds and other Muslims in the region,” Bulut added. “The recent detention of the three Assyrians might also be due to the continued conflicts between the PKK and the Turkish military. Unfortunately, Assyrians have been stuck between and terribly affected by the unending fights between these two hostile groups.”

The PKK is a designated Kurdish terrorist group that has a significant presence in southeastern Turkey. Although Turkey is constitutionally a secular country, it has strongly leaned toward incorporating Islam into the government’s policies under the tenure of President Erdoğan. Turkey is ranked as a Tier 2 Country of Particular Concern by the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom.

Claire Evans, ICC’s Regional Manager for the Middle East, said, “Turkey’s anti-terror activities have long trampled on human rights, including religious freedom. Unfortunately, this latest incident once again puts Turkey’s police state tactics on full display and is part of an ongoing trend demonstrating institutional hostility toward the nation’s Christian community. We urge Turkey for transparency regarding this incident. Allow these Christians legal representation, communicate their status with their communities, and publicly state the reason why they were arrested.”

For interviews, please contact Olivia Miller, Communications Coordinator: press@persecution.org. 

About ICC
International Christian Concern is a non-partisan, 501(c)(3) charitable organization focused on human rights, religious freedom and assisting the persecuted Christian Church around the world.

Media Contact
Olivia Miller, Communications Coordinator
E-mail: press@persecution.org
Phone: (301)-859-3842

International Christian Concern
2020 Pennsylvania Ave. NW #941, Washington, D.C. 20006
www.persecution.org | E-mail: icc@persecution.org

Boko Haram kidnaps pastor in Michika, Nigeria

International Christian Concern (ICC) has learned that Boko Haram, an Islamic insurgent group based out of northeastern Nigeria, kidnapped a church leader from Michika town in Adamawa State, Nigeria. Reverend Lawan Andima, who serves as the Local Council Chapter Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and also a pastor with the Church of the Brethren (EYN) at the District Church Council of Michika, was abducted when the insurgent group attacked the town on January 2 around 7:00 p.m. Reverend Lawan Andima is 58 years old, married, and the father of nine children.

Reacting to the abduction, the Vice Chairman of the Adamawa State Chapter of CAN, Reverend Philip Shehu, said, “Yes, he was abducted. I still don’t have much information about him at present.”  Reverend Philip confirmed that Reverend Lawan is a pastor with the EYN, adding, “Truly we have been greatly concerned since it happened. We called for concerted prayers for him. Even at the commissioning of our Secretariat last week, we also took time to pray for him.  We are still calling on fellow Christians everywhere to join us in earnest prayers for his release from the captors.”

Narrating the incident, the EYN General Secretary, Rev. Daniel, said that when the insurgents struck that day, Rev. Lawan, his wife, and their children immediately fled from their home. However, the pastor quickly returned, intending to get a car to help more people escape. Then, the intensity of the attack increased. Sounds of deafening gunfire came from nearby, so Rev. Lawan’s wife and children quickly fled to the bush. Rev. Daniel explained, “He (Rev. Lawan) then came out of the house, along with the church security guard, to flee. They noticed a Hylux van by the roadside and thought it was soldiers, so they moved on. The security guard first crossed the road and headed to the bush. He then turned to look out for the pastor, but noticed that he had disappeared!”

The following day, additional information was revealed to the EYN General Secretary. Some women who were in hiding said that they saw the pastor being dragged into the Hylux van and taken away.

Wearied by the mounting attacks on the Church and Christians in the region, the EYN General Secretary lamented, “I have said it over and over that religious violence has festered and, in truth, the Church in Nigeria is under serious persecution.” This attack and abduction came just one week after Boko Haram beheaded 10 Christian aid workers on film.

Nathan Johnson, ICC’s Regional Manager for Africa, said, “As Boko Haram, particularly the ISWAP faction, continues to grow in strength and power, we are likely to see more of these attacks on Christians and the Church. Their recent video showed that they have a special hatred for Christianity and will be brutal toward those whom they hold captive. We are praying for Pastor Lawan and his family as they go through this tough time. We hope to see him returned safe and unharmed in the near future.”

For interviews, please contact Olivia Miller, Communications Coordinator: press@persecution.org. 

About ICC
International Christian Concern is a non-partisan, 501(c)(3) charitable organization focused on human rights, religious freedom and assisting the persecuted Christian Church around the world.

Media Contact
Olivia Miller, Communications Coordinator
E-mail: press@persecution.org
Phone: (301)-859-3842

International Christian Concern
2020 Pennsylvania Ave. NW #941, Washington, D.C. 20006
www.persecution.org | E-mail: icc@persecution.org

Numerical Expositions: Genesis 4:24

If Cain shall be avenged sevenfold, truly Lamech seventy and sevenfold.

- Gen. 4:24 (KJV)

The logic of Lamech was so messed up that he believed that he would gain access to more vengeance if someone killed him because he killed Cain and Tubal-cain.  In texts like Antiquities by Josephus, the Pseudepigrapha, the book of the Jubilees, and the Lost Books of Eden, Lamech killed Cain and Tubal-cain by accident.

Lamech was out hunting with his son Tubal-cain with a bow and arrow that was the first of its kind that was made by Tubal-cain.  They thought that Cain was an animal because of the mark on his forehand, which was possibly a horn.  No, Cain was visiting family.  Nevertheless, Lamech shot the arrow and killed Cain.  After accidentally killing Cain, Lamech clasped his hands together and accidentally killed his son Tubal-cain.  The story is strange; google it for yourself.

Numerical Breakdown:  (4) To gain instruction, do not compare yourself to another person.  (6) To expose evil, do not justify what you do wrong.  (1) To follow God, do not justify what you do wrong.  (2) To be delivered, do not justify what you do wrong.

One millionth article about Iran looking for retaliation

International Christian Concern (ICC) has learned that on January 2, 2020, an airstrike targeted senior Iranian and Iraqi leadership within the vicinity of Baghdad’s airport. General Qassem Soleimani, head of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ (IRGC) Quds Force, was one of the men killed in the airstrike. Iran was quick to declare his assassination as a war crime against Muslims and has promised reprisals. The other men killed were militiamen supported by Iran.

As head of the Quds Force, Soleimani’s job description primarily involved organizing Iran’s proxy militias in the region. However, as a key leader within the IRGC structure, his role also included protecting the ideology of Iran’s Islamic government. He was just as ruthless within Iran as he was outside of the country. Soleimani was a celebrity figure within the Iranian regime, and his speeches were famous among IRGC’s leadership. 

“For many Iranians, Qassem Soleimani was a warmonger,” tweeted Iranian human rights activist Masih Alinejad. “Unfortunately, Western media misses the point by glorifying Soleimani. He was the common enemy for people in Iran, Lebanon, Iraq, and Syria."

In response to the regime’s threats of retaliatory violence, several Iranian people have voiced a different message. “Officials will say the Iranian people want revenge,” tweeted one Iranian Christian activist. “No! We want to see a good life and peace!”

“People are smarter and wiser. They can see through the fog of confusion created by the Iranian government,” said an Iranian church leader. “The clergy has filled their pockets and left Iran battered.”

Christians are often heavily targeted by the regime, since they are unjustly viewed as a national security threat. It is common for Christians to experience an increase in scrutiny from the regime during times when the government feels under increased pressure.

“The regime specializes in fear,” said a Christian ministry leader working in Iran. “They make you look over your shoulder.”

An Iranian pastor further explained, “It is the policy of the Islamic government not to put thousands of Christians in jail [even though they easily can]. Their policy is to arrest a few and put [a] maximum sentence on minor offenses [like just gathering in a home]. They then publicize it in order to put fear in the hearts of Christians. Their strategy is causing fear and isolation.”  

 A former IRGC member, who is now a Christian, advised, “In my opinion, Christians need to know their position, where they are. We need to walk through the right path by awareness and not to be surprised by anything.”

Iran is designated as a Tier 1 Country of Particular Concern by the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom.

Claire Evans, ICC’s Regional Manager for the Middle East, said, “Iran’s Revolutionary Guard has promised retaliation. They always seek to sow seeds of fear wherever they are present, and they are quite active in the persecution of Christians, who are falsely labeled as a national security threat. At a time when Iran’s Islamic regime feels its security is threatened, we must keep the Christian community in prayer for their safety.”

For interviews, please contact Olivia Miller, Communications Coordinator: press@persecution.org. 

About ICC
International Christian Concern is a non-partisan, 501(c)(3) charitable organization focused on human rights, religious freedom and assisting the persecuted Christian Church around the world.

Media Contact
Olivia Miller, Communications Coordinator
E-mail: press@persecution.org
Phone: (301)-859-3842

International Christian Concern
2020 Pennsylvania Ave. NW #941, Washington, D.C. 20006
www.persecution.org | E-mail: icc@persecution.org

Bus attack in Kenya by Al-Shabaab

International Christian Concern (ICC) has learned that three passengers have been confirmed dead and several others critically injured after suspected al-Shabaab militants attacked a Lamu-bound public service vehicle at Nyongoro area, Lamu West in southeastern Kenya. A security officer at the scene of the incident confirmed to ICC, “The incident happened at noon [on] Thursday, January 2, 2020, after the Mombasa Raha bus was ambushed by heavily armed Somali-based militant members that ordered the vehicle to stop. The driver defied their orders, causing the terrorists to open fire randomly towards the bus. This led to the shooting of three people and many others injured.”

Highway patrol officers responded quickly and, after a severe exchange of fire, scattered the attackers who fled into the bush. “One of those on the bus quickly made a call to the local security services after the attack. The police on duty arrived in time to rescue many of the injured passengers. The injured have been taken to the hospital and the bus [was] towed. Identities of the victims, who are believed to be non-local Christians returning to Lamu after spending the Christmas season in upcountry, have not yet been established,” said the security officer.

Residents of Witu and Mpeketoni have expressed fears following the attack. A local pastor in Witu town noted, “There is always a tendency of attacking villages and towns after terrorists attack vehicles. This has been like a pattern; hence we are scared that more attacks might follow.” 

Al-Shabaab has become notorious for its tactic of stopping buses, forcing passengers to separate by religion, and executing the Christians on board. This been happening in Lamu county, and the rest of eastern Kenya, for nearly five years now. Despite the Kenyan police working hard to prevent these attacks, they continue to plague Lamu and Mandera counties heavily. A similar incident took place in Mandera on December 6, 2019, when 11 Christians were separated from other passengers and killed.

Yesterday’s attack comes two weeks after Kenyan intelligence officials issued an alert regarding possible terror attacks during the holiday season. Multi-agency security officers are currently combing the area to catch the culprits who are believed to have come from the dense Boni Forest, which stretches from Lamu to Somalia and is regularly used by al-Shabaab to conduct these types of attacks.

Nathan Johnson, ICC’s Regional Manager for Africa, said, “Less than three weeks ago, I was driving through this exact route. It is hard to imagine that the beautiful and peaceful looking forest could be home to such a travesty. I thank God for the brave actions of the driver who likely saved many lives by not stopping, and for the quick response by the Kenyan police who are working so hard to protect their people. Al-Shabaab must be stopped. Their continued targeting of Christians in Kenya shows just how much they hate other faiths. They cross international borders and execute dozens of people each year for the sole fact that they follow Jesus Christ.”

For interviews, please contact Olivia Miller, Communications Coordinator: press@persecution.org. 

About ICC
International Christian Concern is a non-partisan, 501(c)(3) charitable organization focused on human rights, religious freedom and assisting the persecuted Christian Church around the world.

Media Contact
Olivia Miller, Communications Coordinator
E-mail: press@persecution.org
Phone: (301)-859-3842

International Christian Concern
2020 Pennsylvania Ave. NW #941, Washington, D.C. 20006
www.persecution.org | E-mail: icc@persecution.org

Airstrike causes chaos in Iraq

International Christian Concern (ICC) has learned that on January 2, 2020, an airstrike targeted senior Iranian and Iraqi leaders within the vicinity of Baghdad’s airport. General Qassem Soleimani, head of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ (IRGC) Quds Force, and Iraq’s Paramilitary Chief, Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, were both killed.

Local media reported on the following day, January 3, that two Iraqi militia leaders supported by Iran were arrested: Hadi al-Ameri, commander of the Badr Brigade, and Qais Khazaali, commander of Asaib Ahl al-Haq.

Iran has long had an ingrained influence within Iraq. However, this influence grew through the reliance upon Iranian-backed militias, collectively referred to as the PMF, to defeat the Islamic State. These militias have failed to relinquish reconquered territories and have developed a reputation of significant corruption and human rights abuses. Within Iraq’s Nineveh Plains, they have taken the place of ISIS in the persecution of Christians.

“I am not happy by the murdering of al-Muhandis and Soleimani because I know every action has [a] reaction,” an Iraqi Christian shared with ICC. “There are political results for the incident and all will be in Iraq. Iraqis will suffer from the possible war between [the] US and Iran targeting each other. I hope I don’t lose more friends, relatives due to war.”

Another Iraqi Christian added, “That’s supposed to have been done years ago. I know the US waited a long time to have a good reason to target them. The US could never have done that unless they targeted the embassy. [But] we must consider the amount of guns those militias have before doing a big crime like that. The militia will be angry and use their guns to take revenge from anyone related, but there will be more victims or innocent people killed.”

“I am expecting a hard reaction from the Iranian side,” added an Iraqi Christian previously a member of an Iranian-backed militia. “I also heard of the fleeing of Rayan al-Kadani because he was part of the protesting at the US Embassy last week.”

“God will forgive the sinner if (s)he repented, but those who insist on hurting others will have the same end. That’s why all those militia leaders hurt people, and displaced hundreds of thousands on the area, and now the US stopped them,” added another.

Militia violence in the early 2000s prompted the first wave of Christian immigration from Iraq. Last year proved an extremely tenuous one for the militias. The United States issued Global Magnitsky sanctions against senior leadership. In October, protests erupted in the Central Government, and the demonstrators were specifically asking for an end to foreign military involvement within Iraq. The militias violently attacked the protesters, and eventually the American embassy. The situation has only escalated since then.

Claire Evans, ICC’s Regional Manager for the Middle East, said, “The assassination of these two men is a significant opening of a new decade for the Middle East. The regional consequences are substantial and felt everywhere. For Iraqi Christians who have already felt the weight of militia aggression, the implications of these attacks spark mixed emotions. Many await with fearful anticipation to see what the future now holds.”
For interviews, please contact Olivia Miller, Communications Coordinator: press@persecution.org.
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Numerical Expositions: Genesis 4:23

And Lamech said unto his wives, Adah and Zillah, Hear my voice; ye wives of Lamech, hearken unto my speech:  for I have slain a man to my wounding, and a young man to my hurt.

- Gen. 4:23 (KJV)

In this verse, Lamech tells his two wives that he has killed two people.  He has killed a man and a young man or boy.  This verse makes Lamech the very first serial killer.

Numerical Breakdown:  (4) To gain instruction, do not commit bigamy.  (5) To stay in God's presence, do not commit bigamy.  (9) To overturn evil, do not force others to listen to you.  (2) To be delivered, stay out of bigamy.  (3) To stay in the Spirit, do not force others to listen to you.