Tags

Attack

• Mass Violence After Blasphemy Accusations

  

  On August 16th, thousands of people stormed a Christian colony in Jaranwala, a town located in the Faisalabad district of Punjab. Angered by allegations of blasphemy, and spurred on by urgent announcements that had been broadcasted over mosque loudspeakers, the incited mob either damaged or utterly destroyed up to 26 church buildings and as many as 400 homes. Thankfully, there were no reports of casualties following this recent attack. Please take the time to view the informative video alert that VOMC released the next day, which includes footage of the actual attacks.

• Church Attacked During Prayer Service

  

  Members of the Lala Zarr Church in Peshawar had gathered for a prayer service on the evening of August 3rd when a group of angry men from the neighbourhood suddenly rushed into their place of worship. Initially, the men demanded that the volume of the sound system be reduced. However, shortly after the disruption, several other armed men stormed into the church building that evening, causing panic among the congregation.

• Increasing Violence by IS Terrorists

  

  According to an analysis conducted by BBC Monitoring, the self-declared terrorist group, Islamic State (IS), and its affiliated members have significantly escalated a campaign of violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo. During the first half of 2023, the terrorists claimed to have instigated 58 violent attacks in the DR Congo, targeting those whom they identify as Christians. These attacks are concentrated in the eastern provinces of North Kivu and Ituri.

• Christians Assaulted and Threatened

  

  As the pastor of the Good Shepherd Church in the Polonnaruwa district of Sri Lanka seeks to demonstrate the love of Christ to the members of his community, part of his ministry includes overseeing a drug rehabilitation centre in the local village. According to a recent report, a Christian man working at the centre was attacked on June 16th by two opposing villagers, resulting in abrasions on his neck. The perpetrators also threatened to "break the church."

• Hundreds Killed Amid Ongoing Violence

  

  Nigeria is considered one of the most dangerous places on earth to be a Christian because of ongoing violence from terrorist groups such as Boko Haram and Fulani militants. Having been a problem primarily in the northern and central areas of the country, persecution has also recently begun infiltrating into the southern region. Two areas where violence has been particularly rampant are Benue State and Plateau State. Since mid-May, hundreds of innocent villagers were killed and tens of thousands displaced, mainly due to Fulani attacks.

• Church Attacked by Sikh Group

  

  On May 21st, Christians who had gathered together for worship at the Sukhpal Rana Ministries Church in Rajewal, Punjab, were viciously attacked by a mob dressed as traditional Sikh warriors. Members of this armed Sikh order, known as "the Nihangs," are distinguishable by their blue robes and large turbans.

• Christians Wounded Amid Military Violence

  

  Five Christians were injured when unidentified gunmen entered a Coptic Orthodox church in Omdurman, Sudan, in the early morning hours of May 14th. Those wounded during the attack were Rev. Arsanius Zaria and his son, a church cantor, a guard and another parishioner. All five believers received hospital treatment and have since been released.

• Two Youths Accused of Blasphemy

  

  Two Christian teenagers, one of whom is a minor, were arrested on May 18th due to accusations of blasphemy. Adil Babar, who is 18 years old, and a younger neighbour, Simon Nadeem, were charged after a complaint was filed claiming that they had insulted the Islamic prophet Mohammad while playing on the street.

• Official Charged After Disrupting Service

  

  On February 18th, a local village official forced his way into a church service in the Indonesian village of Rajabasa Jaya and demanded that the Christians stop worshipping immediately. He claimed that the church was meeting without a permit. Other villagers also joined in the attack and, during the turmoil, one of the intruders attempted to choke the pastor. For more details on the initial incident, go to this page.

• Violence Leads to Dozens of Deaths

  

  Ongoing ethnic tensions in the Indian state of Manipur ignited into a disturbing outbreak of violence after some took offence to a peaceful protest on May 3rd. During the resulting unrest, over 50 people had reportedly been killed, another 150 received injuries, and more than 50 church buildings were burned to the ground. At least 20,000 people have been forcibly displaced, many of them seeking protection in military camps. View one of the eyewitness videos of the ongoing destruction.