Islamic Jihad Against Christianity in Africa

​Twelve Villages Suffer Co-ordinated Attacks
​Hundreds of heavily armed gunmen, wearing military camouflage and bulletproof vests, attacked Christians at 12 villages on the outskirts of Jos, in Plateau state, in Northern Nigeria on Saturday, 7 July. Initial reports are that 25 people are known to have been killed in these terrorist attacks and 19 of the gunmen were killed in follow-up operations by the Joint Task Force.

​Fulani Muslims Kill Elected Representatives
Among the victims of the terror attacks were a local senator and representative from Plateau State. Nigerian security forces have identified the assailants as Fulani tribesmen. The Fulani are an overwhelmingly Muslim tribe in Northern Nigeria.

Boko Haram State Their Objectives
The Boko Haram terrorist organisation has issued a public statement declaring: "The Nigerian state and Christians are our enemies and we will be launching attacks on the Nigerian state and its security apparatus as well as churches, until we achieve our goal of establishing an Islamic state in place of the secular state. We are responsible for the suicide attacks on churches in Jos and also in Biu." 

Threats to the Media
The spokesman for the group told reporters in Maiduguri. "We launched these attacks to prove the Nigerian security wrong and to debunk their claim that we have been weakened by the military crackdown." Here he referred to the terrorist gunmen shot last week in the cities of Kano and Maiduguri. The Boko Haram spokesman also warned: "We are keeping tabs on all comments being made about us… let no one make any entreaty to us when we perfect our plan and start our operation, especially against journalists."

Kenyan Churches Attacked
In Garissa, in Eastern Kenya, two churches were attacked by Somalian terrorists, killing 17 worshippers. Mombasa, Garissa and other towns along the border with Somalia, are all predominantly Muslim areas and it is in these areas that a wave of violence has been unleashed against Christian churches in Kenya.

Devastated Churches
One report described the devastation at the Africa Inland Church in Garissa in the aftermath of the grenade and machinegun attack: "Dried blood still stained the floor, bullet holes pockmarked the walls and beams of light poured through the metal sheet roof punctured last week by flying shrapnel." 

The Somalian Connection
Kenyan police reported that they suspected that these attacks were the work of al-Shabaab, a Boko Haram-style African Taliban, who claimed that they are attacking targets in Kenya in retaliation for Kenya's peacekeeping operations under the African Union in neighbouring Somalia.

Sudan Update
Positive reports have been received from Sudan since our last prayer alert, concerning the sustained bombing and ethnic cleansing being waged by Sudan forces against Christians in the Nuba Mountains, in the oil rich Abyei province of South Sudan and in the Blue Nile region. Unrest and protests in Khartoum have redirected the attention of the Islamic dictatorship in Sudan. While the Nuba Mountain people continue to be under siege, there have been no further reports of bombings since 27 June. Please continue to pray for the beleaguered Christians in this volatile situation.

"God is just. He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you and give relief to you who are troubled ... when the Lord Jesus is revealed from Heaven in blazing fire with His powerful angels. He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the Majest of His power on the Day He comes." 2 Thessalonians 1:6-10

See also:
Sudan Government Destroys Churches and Attacks Bible College in Khartoum
Pray for Christians Under Fire in Nigeria, Sudan and Tunisia
Urgent Call for Prayer for Christians Under Fire in Africa
Serving South Sudan
The Arab Spring Turns Out to be More of a Bitter Winter

Dr. Peter Hammond

Frontline Fellowship
P.O. Box 74 Newlands 7725
Cape Town South Africa
Tel: 021-689-4480
Email:  mission@frontline.org.za

Obtain and promote: Slavery, Terrorism and Islam – The Historical Roots and Contemporary Threat (300 pages, 200 pictures) available from Christian Liberty Books, PO Box 358, Howard Place 7450, Cape Town, South Africa, tel: 021-689-7478, email: admin@christianlibertybooks.co.za and website: www.christianlibertybooks.co.za.

Those in North America can obtain this book and other resources for the persecuted from:
Frontline Fellowship - USA,
P.O. Box 728, Manitou Springs, CO 80829,
USA,
tel: 719-685-2899,
email: info@frontlinefellowship.net,
website: www.frontlinefellowship.net.