Tag: Islamic extremism

Mali: ‘Christians can simply be slaughtered’

December 11, 2017 Mali Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, Islamic extremism, Mali, Missionaries, Tuareg

Christians from northern Mali, displaced by the violence that started in 2012, are settling and building homes in the south. (Photo: World Watch Monitor)

Sory* was threatened by Islamists when they heard about his work at a church in Djalloube, central Mali, and fled, leaving his family traumatised. “I started to face serious problems when the Islamists heard about me and the conversion of some of the people [from Islam to Christianity],” Sory says. . . . Read More

Syria: Homs Christians return to rebuild homes and lives

December 5, 2017 Syria Homs, Iraq, Islamic extremism, Islamic State, Syria

Basima in her renovated kitchen. (Photo: World Watch Monitor)

Syrians who fled the city of Homs five years ago are slowly returning to rebuild their homes and lives. Much of Syria’s third largest city has been destroyed, but Maha says she is just “so happy” to be back. With her husband and her sister, she recently returned to live . . . Read More

Nigeria: Boko Haram survivor and her baby ‘shamed’

December 1, 2017 Nigeria Acid attacks, Boko Haram, Borno, Converts, Gwoza, Islamic extremism, Nigeria, Rape, Trauma, UN, West Africa, Women

Boko Haram survivor Esther*, holding her daughter Rebecca in her arms. (Photo: World Watch Monitor)

As Islamic extremist group Boko Haram continues to hold young women captive in West Africa, some have been rescued only to return to their homes in shame, finding themselves labelled “Boko Haram women”. Until October 2015 Esther* lived the normal life of a 17-year-old in Gwoza, a town in southern . . . Read More

Bangladesh: Catholic priest missing as Pope Francis arrives

November 30, 2017 Bangladesh Bangladesh, Catholics, Dhaka, Education, Islamic extremism, Islamic State, Pope Francis, Religious freedom

Pope Francis hold hands with President of Bangladesh Abdul Hamid (L) upon arriving at the Presidential palace in Dhaka on 30 November 2017. (Photo: VINCENZO PINTO/AFP/Getty Images)

Pope Francis has arrived in Bangladesh, where a Catholic priest disappeared three days ago, highlighting the pressure Christians and other minority groups are under in the mainly Muslim country. Father Walter William Rozario, who is also the headmaster of a high school, went missing in northern Natore district on 27 . . . Read More

Philippines priest describes ‘nightmare’ ordeal in Marawi

November 29, 2017 Philippines Islamic extremism, Marawi, Mindanao, Philippines, Teresito Suganob

The Catholic priest held captive by Islamic militants in the Philippines city of Marawi has described his 116 days in captivity as “a nightmare”, reports UCA News. Father Teresito Suganob spoke about his ordeal as he returned to the island of Mindanao for the first time since his release on . . . Read More

Iranian Christian convert released on bail days after threat of ‘indefinite’ incarceration

November 23, 2017 Iran Abdol-Ali Pourmand, Converts, Dezful, House churches, Iran, Islamic extremism, Khuzestan, Mohammed Ali Torabi

An Iranian convert to Christianity arrested on unspecified charges has been released on bail just days after his family was told he would be detained indefinitely. Mohammed Ali Torabi, 39, was ordered to pay 200 million tomans (around US $57,000) to secure his release from prison in Ahvaz, capital of Iran’s . . . Read More

Indonesia: Ahok’s accuser found guilty of hate speech

November 23, 2017 Indonesia Ahok, Blasphemy, Indonesia, Islamic extremism, Java, Muhammadiyah

Jakarta's governor arrives in court for his verdict and sentence in his blasphemy trial. Photo: Getty Images

A key figure behind the jailing of the Christian former Governor of Jakarta for blasphemy has been sentenced to one and a half years in jail for hate speech. However, a West Java court ruled on Tuesday (14 November) that the defendant, Buni Yani, should not be detained immediately. A . . . Read More

How serious is Saudi Arabia about religious freedom?

November 22, 2017 Saudi Arabia Islamic extremism, King Salman, Mohammad bin Salman, Religious freedom, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Wahhabism

Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince, Mohammad bin Salman, says he wants to move his conservative Muslim country towards a more moderate version of Islam, but how serious is he about religious freedom? Speaking at a conference for investors in Riyadh last month the 32-year-old Crown Prince said the conservative version of . . . Read More

ISIS ‘the greatest preacher for Christianity in the world’

November 21, 2017 Egypt Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, Cairo, Copts, Egypt, Islamic extremism, Islamic State, Middle East, Minya, Samaan Shehata

More than 20 people lost their lives in the Palm Sunday attack on the St George Cathedral in Tanta, Egypt.

An Egyptian bishop says that by killing hundreds of Christians across the Middle East the Islamic State group has in fact strengthened the Church and been “the greatest preacher for Christianity in the world”. Bishop Stephen of Beba and Fashn, speaking during a memorial service for the murdered Coptic priest . . . Read More

Iraq: Basra Christians living in ‘deep fear and mistrust’

November 21, 2017 Iraq Armenians, Basra, Catholics, Chaldeans, Iraq, Islamic extremism

The remaining Christians in the southern Iraqi city of Basra are living in a climate of “deep fear and mistrust” of the Muslim majority, despite recent attempts to promote inter-religious harmony, according to Al-Monitor. In September, for instance, an Armenian organisation helped to erect a statue of the Virgin Mary, . . . Read More

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