Tags

Martyrdom

• Pastor and Family Killed in Targeted Attack

  

  A pastor and several members of his family were killed in Syria on July 16th during what church officials have described as a "targeted massacre." While initial reports confirmed at least 12 fatalities, other sources indicate that more than 20 people were possibly killed, including Pastor Khaled Mazher, his parents, as well as his sisters and their children.

• Expanding Dangers for Christians

  

  In recent weeks, the Voice of the Martyrs Canada produced a special two-part video series on Nigeria, highlighting the dangers facing Christians in the northern region of the country while focussing on the urgent need for prayer. If you have not yet taken the time to view these two brief but powerful videos, please do so at our country report.

  The persecution of believers in Nigeria continues to escalate, fuelled by intensifying attacks from more than six different militant groups vying for control of the nation. As a result, hundreds of Christians have been killed, injured or kidnapped in recent months. In mid-June alone, more than 200 villagers lost their lives in the state of Benue and thousands of others were displaced. While economic and cultural factors contribute to the unrest, religion remains a major catalyst of the ongoing violence. For instance, during the recent raid in Benue, eyewitnesses reported that the attackers shouted, "Allahu Akbar," as they targeted predominantly Christian communities, leaving devastation in their wake.

• Legislator Issues Bounties on Evangelists' Lives

  

  A legislator in India's Maharashtra state has publicly announced the issuance of bounties on the lives of Christians who visit villages for the purpose of proselytization. In a speech that he made on June 17th, Gopichand Padalkar offered rewards ranging from 300,000 rupees (about $4,800 CAD) for assaulting a Gospel worker to over one million rupees (approximately $17,500 CAD) for killing a pastor. The legislator's remarks were made in retaliation, following the suicide of a young woman who had allegedly been pressured by her in-laws to pay a customary dowry and adhere to the family's belief in Christianity.

• SPECIAL MEDIA PRESENTATION

  

  The Voice of the Martyrs Canada production team has filmed on location in Nigeria a special two-part "Persecution & Prayer Alert" video series. We invite you to view this presentation, and then join us in prayer for our persecuted Nigerian brothers and sisters in Christ who are – with God's empowerment and the prayers of His people – resiliently overcoming intense persecution in this beleaguered nation.

• Evangelist Martyred for Sharing the Gospel

  

  Ibrahim Mohammed became a follower of Jesus in 2021 and immediately began sharing the "Good News" of the Gospel with others in his predominantly Muslim community. Within the span of one year, he led 80 people to Christ in the Oromia region of Ethiopia. Since then, the passionate evangelist has devoted himself to discipling these new believers. As a result of his Christian witness, Ibrahim began receiving death threats from local Islamic militants.

• Young Boy Dies Following Tragic Bullying Incident

  

  An eight-year-old boy, referred to as "KB" in Indonesia's local news reports, tragically died following a severe beating he received from a group of older male students at a school in Pangkalan Kasai, a village located within the province of Riau. According to various sources, the incident occurred because the boy was a Christian and belonged to a different ethnic group.

• 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.

• Released Murderer Receives a Hero's Welcome

  

  On January 23rd, 1999, Australian missionary Graham Staines, along with his two young sons Philip and Timothy, were burned to death by Hindu nationalist militants. Initially, authorities denied that the assailants had any connection to the Hindu nationalist group, Bajrang Dal, though such ties were later substantiated. While 14 men had been arrested in connection with the incident, 12 of the perpetrators were acquitted due to lack of evidence. The other two men, Mahendra Hembram and Dara Singh, were convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment.

• 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.