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Attack

• Christian Families Terrorized for Weeks

  

  Mobs armed with clubs terrorized 16 families from a church in Jharkhand state every night for almost three weeks. Going to each home in the village, the militants threatened to kill the Christian family members unless they returned to the animistic Sarna religion. The oppressors would set out at night when the other families were not available to provide help and support.

• Christian Woman Seriously Beaten

  

  A young Christian woman from the village of Luwooko in eastern Uganda was ambushed and beaten on April 7th for sharing her faith. Lydia Nabirye, 23, is the daughter of an area evangelist. In early March, she shared her faith with a young Muslim woman who later came to salvation in Christ. After the new convert was threatened by family members, Lydia's family gave her refuge, along with six other converts from Islam.

• Christians Arrested for Preparing Relief Aid

  

  A pastor and seven others were assembling relief packages for the poor in their area when they were assaulted and arrested by police officers. The police falsely claimed the group had gathered for worship in numbers forbidden under COVID-19 restrictions.

• Daughter of Slain Pastor Wounded

  

  On October 13th, 2015, Pastor Chamu Hassa Purty was shot and killed while at his home in Sandih village, Jharkhand. The murder happened after he had prayed for a sick boy in a nearby village and then helped him get to hospital.

  Five years later, on the evening of April 16th, two men came to the door of the Purty home, asking if it was the home of the pastor who was killed. Threatening the family members who were there, the men shouted: "That pastor was killed, but you did not learn a lesson. You have continued assembling in large numbers for Christian prayers. Where is the woman working as a spy?" Chamu's widow insisted they were not spies and demanded that the men leave the premises.

• Church Building Attacked Over Land Dispute

  

  On May 9th, a group of Muslim men vandalized the Trinity Pentecostal Church in the town of Kala Shah Kaku over an alleged land dispute. The group was led by Malik Aun Abbas, a local property dealer who claims he has rights to the land. The men demolished the main gate and boundary wall. They then entered the church, broke the cross, damaged a wall, and threatened to burn the building and the Christians who were present. Police were called to the scene but the men escaped before the authorities arrived.

• Violence Continues Unabated

  

  The ongoing violence in Nigeria by Fulani herdsmen has continued unabated. Christian villagers and churches are frequently targeted by militants holding to strict Islamic ideology. In recent weeks, several incidents have come to light, indicating the need for continued prayer, as well as a call for action by Nigerian authorities. In this report, a few of the more recent incidences will be highlighted.

• Church Attack Leaves 24 Dead

  

  Gunmen killed 24 people and left at least 18 wounded when they targeted a church service on February 16th in the village of Pansi. Upon entering, the attackers separated the men from the women, as well as locals from non-residents, choosing to kill resident men -- including the church pastor.

• Children Beaten and Threatened

  

  Christians in the village of Malasamudra, Karnataka were gathered for worship in the early morning of January 19th when 20 Hindu militants from the village came up the steps and began taking photos and videos. Those gathering attempted to stop the intruders from taking pictures of the children but were pushed away. The militants then began to beat the children while restraining the adults. The mob finally left but only after issuing a warning: "If we hear that you stepped out of your homes and told anybody about this, we will set your homes on fire and burn you alive."

• Pastor Harassed by Mob and Police

  

  As believers gathered for worship in the village of Ihala Yakkura on the morning of February 2nd, a mob of around 150 people, led by Buddhist monks, arrived and disrupted the service by questioning the owner of the premises. The pastor called the police, who were able to maintain peace until the service concluded, even though the mob remained present.

• Rohingya Christians Deal with Aftermath of Attack

  

  In last week's "Persecution & Prayer Alert," an urgent prayer request was issued for Christians who were recently attacked in a Rohingya refugee camp and the imminent forced marriage of a pastor's daughter to a Muslim man (read more). Since the previous report, more details have continued to come to light.

  The attack occurred in Kutapalong, the world's largest refugee camp. More than 20 Christian families were attacked with at least 12 people injured. A similar attack happened in May 2019 by the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army who claim to be fighting for the liberation of the Rohingya. Local police insist that the ARSA is not involved and have downplayed the number of injured.