Open Doors, November 27, 2019
On Sunday December 1, armed men stormed a Protestant church near the border with Niger. They killed the pastor, and 13 other worshippers, including five teenagers.
This is the latest in a series of attacks specifically targeting Christians. At least 41 Christians have been killed in 9 reported jihadist attacks since the beginning of the year. An unknown number of pastors and their families have been abducted and remain in captivity.
No group has claimed responsibility for the attack, but it is assumed to be the work of an Islamic extremist group. Clearly some militants are deliberately targeting Christians because of their faith. Extremists have started expelling Christians from their villages, with villagers given an ultimatum: convert to Islam or leave your homes.
Pastor Samuel Sawadogo, who cares for displaced Christians in Burkina Faso, says, “We don’t know who the attackers are, neither do we know who is sponsoring them. All we know is that they attack Christians.”