‘Kidnapping,’ forced conversion and collective punishment haunt Egypt’s Copts

‘Kidnapping,’ forced conversion and collective punishment haunt Egypt’s Copts
It’s been two months since Coptic Christians in an Upper Egypt village endured a traumatic sequence of events ending in heavy police abuse. The victims still have not received any justice from the state security authorities who broke the law and violated its citizen’s human rights. On Sept. 16, in . . . Read More

Claim of truce raises hope that kidnapped Nigerian girls will be released

Claim of truce raises hope that kidnapped Nigerian girls will be released
The deserted streets of Chibok in August.World Watch Monitor   Nigeria’s kidnapped schoolgirls will be released as part of a truce between militant Islamist group Boko Haram and government forces, the Nigerian army said Friday. The Nigerian chief of defence, Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh, made the announcement. Boko Haram . . . Read More

All Knayeh hostages free

All Knayeh hostages free
NOTE: This report, originally posted Oct. 8, is updated to include the release of all hostages The last of a group of 20 Syrian Christians kidnapped Oct. 5 have been released as their pastor awaits trial before an Islamic court. Rev. Hanna Jallouf, a Franciscan priest in the northeastern Syria town of Knayeh, was abducted with about 20 . . . Read More

IS invades monastery, steals ‘everything’ from Iraqi Christians

IS invades monastery, steals ‘everything’ from Iraqi Christians
After every known Christian is reported to have left Mosul, Islamic State fighters, IS, have now taken over a monastery near the largely Christian town of Qaraqosh, 32 miles southeast of Mosul. According to Agence France Presse IS expelled its three resident monks, a cleric and a few families living there, ordering . . . Read More