Tags

ISIS

• Christians At Risk

  

  When American troops pulled out of Syria, and Turkish troops moved in to establish a "safe zone" in northeast Syria, there were understandable concerns about the safety of the people living in this area. Turkish authorities gave assurances that their forces would not persecute religious minorities, including a significant number of Christians. However, recent reports have indicated otherwise.

• Turkish Offensive Raises Concerns for Christians

  

  As the Turkish military, along with allied Syrian rebels, continue their operation against Kurdish forces in northern Syria, Christian communities are concerned about the repercussions that may follow. While the campaign is not religiously motivated, believers in the region face particular vulnerabilities.

• Car Bomb Attack on Church

  

  On July 11th, the Syrian-Orthodox church in Qamishli was the target of a car bomb attack. Although there were no known fatalities, at least eleven people were injured. Cars and buildings in the area, including the church facility, sustained serious damages. According to one source, the injuries would have been far worse had the attack happened 30 minutes earlier when the vespers (evening prayers) had ended.

• Bomb Blasts Kill At Least Twenty

  

  Coordinated bombs at a cathedral in Jolo, southern Philippines, killed at least 20 people and injured over 80 on January 27th. The first bomb went off during the church service; the second exploded outside the door, as people fled and troops responded to the disaster. Those killed included five soldiers. ISIS has claimed responsibility for the incident, and the Philippines military has been conducting raids in an effort to track down those responsible.

• Seven Fatalities in Bus Attack

  

  Seven people were killed and at least 14 wounded when a bus of Christians was attacked while travelling to a monastery in Minya on November 2nd. Six of those killed were from the same family. The attack happened in almost the identical location as a similar attack in May 2017 which killed 28 Christians (see this report).