News / Thoughts

Kenyan coast: Over 100 killed…

Two weeks ago the Kenyan town of Mpeketoni hit the headlines as about 60 people were brutally killed in an attack by a terrorist group called Al-Shabaab. Sadly, more attacks have happened over the weekend, with at least 31 people from two Kenyan coastal villages killed by the militants.

Late on 5^th July witnesses report that around a dozen heavily armed men stormed the village of Hindi killing at least 22 men. 9 people were also killed in Gamba.

Al-Shabaab is a terrorist group based in Somalia, which is the 2^nd most dangerous country for Christians on the Open Doors World Watch List. Since 2011 several attacks have occurred across Kenya, the largest to date seeing at least 68 people killed in a shopping centre last year.

The extremist nature of the attacks that have happened place anyone in the area who doesn’t follow Islam under threat, and in the latest crisis it’s understood that only those who were able to recite a Muslim creed were spared. Imagine what it would be like to face such danger simply because you don’t follow Islam.

There is widespread terror among the people in the region, and many have fled their homes for fear of their lives. There is also much grief and anger about the violence that has occurred, and many local people have threatened to burn the Mosque in revenge.  Although police were able to calm down a mob that gathered it’s understood that the atmosphere still remains tense.

Where did this happen?

Please Pray

• For God to comfort those who have lost friends and family members in these attacks, and for Christians in the area to respond with compassion
• For stability and peace to come to the region, and that there would be no violent revenge attacks
• For Christians to remain standing for their faith in Jesus despite the danger they face for not conforming to Islam