The militant Islamist group Al-Shabaab, founded in Somalia, says it wants the country to be “free of all Christians”. The group is able to act with impunity in Somalia’s lawless and tribal society. Many tribal leaders see being Somali and being Muslim as one and the same, and leaving Islam as a betrayal. Islam is Somalia’s official state religion, and the government prohibits any celebration of Christmas. (Photo: Udey Ismail via Flickr, CC 2.0)

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Somaliland closes only Catholic church due to public pressure – it re-opened a week ago after 30 years

Somaliland closes only Catholic church due to public pressure – it re-opened a week ago after 30 years

The only Catholic church in Somaliland, East Africa, officially re-opened after three decades on 29 July, has been closed again within a week, due to public pressure. “The issue has created a lot of division … which is not in our national interest… The government has decided to respect the […]

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Presidential change in Somalia unlikely to improve situation for Christian minority

Presidential change in Somalia unlikely to improve situation for Christian minority

Air traffic over Mogadishu, Somalia’s capital, was halted today (8 Feb) as MPs and senators gathered at the airport to elect former Prime Minister Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo as the country’s new president. Newly elected President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo is Somalia’s former Prime Minister (2012 photo). The outgoing president, Hassan Sheikh […]

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Al-Shabaab denounced as ‘un-Islamic’

A group of Islamic scholars have condemned the violence of Al-Shabaab in Somalia as “un-Islamic”, reports the BBC. Al-Shabaab, or “The Youth”, is fighting to create an Islamic state in Somalia. “Al-Shabaab has strayed from the correct path of Islam, leading the Somali people onto the wrong path,” said one […]

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