Tags

Attack

• Court Rulings for Forcibly Married Christian Youth

  

  The kidnapping of young teens in Pakistan continues to be a serious concern for Christians and other religious minorities. After being kidnapped, many of these girls are forcibly "converted" to Islam and then compelled to marry their captors or other men associated with the crimes. While some state governments have introduced legislation to stop this abusive practice – including a law that recently passed in the Islamabad area – the courts frequently favour the kidnappers because of the pressures they encounter from militant Islamic groups. Two recent cases highlight the many challenges facing Christian girls in this South Asian country.

• Villagers Forced from Their Homes

  

  Six Christian families from Karingundam, a village located in the Sukma district of Chhattisgarh state, were evicted from their homes on April 12th for refusing to renounce their faith in Christ. Opposing villagers loaded their belongings onto a truck – only to be hauled out of the village and dumped. The desolate families were forced to spend the night in the forest without any shelter. At least 25 individuals were affected by this dire situation.

• Ongoing Suffering of Nigerian Christians

  

  Attacks on Christian communities in Nigeria have continued unabated over the years, resulting in even more recently reported cases involving casualties and horrific trauma. Not only were these recent attacks the cause of death for several innocent victims, they have also been the source of physical wounding and emotional trauma for many survivors whose suffering has been further compounded by the devastating loss of loved ones and the destruction of community homes.

• Christians Targeted in Easter Monday Attack

  

  In a devastating attack on April 21st, six people were killed and as many as 30 injured when a truck rammed into a crowd of believers who had been taking part in an Easter procession along the streets of Billiri in Gombe state. Though initially reported as an unfortunate accident, a government-appointed committee has since determined that the incident was a deliberate attack on the Christians participating in this year's Easter celebrations.

• Young Children Detained for Participating in Bible Lesson

  

  A Bible lesson for young children that had taken place at a private home in Fuyang, Anhui, was raided by police on April 29th. In total, ten children between the ages of five and six, along with five adult teachers, were taken to the police station where they were detained for several hours. Some of the youngsters appeared to suffer severe emotional distress during the detention; and, throughout that time, the police only checked on them once.

• More Than 100 Christians Killed in Recent Attacks

  

  In central Nigeria, Plateau State has been a hotspot for significant violence from militant groups during recent years. Over the past month, as many as 130 Christians have died in various attacks within the state. In each case, the violence has been attributed to groups of Fulani militants.

• Christian Couple Attacked at Gunpoint

  

  On the night of March 25th, Adnan Masih and his wife Shumaila were heading home from work on their motorcycle when they were suddenly intercepted by two armed gunmen. After seizing the married couple's cell phone and the small amount of cash they were carrying, the thieves physically beat the Christians and demanded more money. Adnan told the gunmen that he and his wife were poor Christians who had nothing more to give. It was then that the attack became more violent.

• Christian Man Assaulted and Humiliated

  

  On February 27th, an impoverished Christian man named Wasif Masih was collecting wood along the road when he was confronted by a group of six Muslim landowners. The men verbally abused the believer, referring to him as "chuhra" – a term frequently used in Pakistan to insult Christians. The perpetrators then physically beat Wasif and detained him for four hours on a poultry farm.

• Brutal Attack on Christian Worker

  

  A 22-year-old Christian man was brutally attacked by his supervisor at a paper mill in Sharaqpur, Punjab, when he refused to renounce his faith in Christ. Having sustained severe injuries to his throat on March 21st, Waqas Masih was hospitalized in Lahore where his condition has been reported as critical but stable.

• Large Mob Attack at Pastors' Gathering

  

  On February 19th, a group of pastors had gathered in Kusumba Village, a town located in the Jalgaon District of Maharashtra, India. As the meeting was taking place, a mob of approximately 400 Hindu nationalists suddenly attacked, brutally assaulting many of the pastors. As a result of the violence, two of the church leaders were left in critical condition.