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Al-Shabaab,
Somalia's hard-line insurgents, reportedly beheaded
seven Somalis for being "Christians" and "spies." This
news was announced by Reuters News Agency on Friday. The
report stated that the incident took place in the
south-central town of Baidoa.
In Iraq, the Associated Press reported a car bomb
exploded near a church in Baghdad, killing three
Christians and a Muslim. Another Christian was killed in
the northern city of Kirkuk. Several more churches were
also bombed in Baghdad over the weekend.
The Reuters report from Somalia pointed out that
although al-Shabaab has carried out similar severe
punishments in regions under its control, these
executions allegedly are the largest number done at the
same time.
Somalia is believed to have a 99.95% Islamic following.
There are only a handful Somali Christians inside the
country and they have been forced underground. Some
Christians have taken refuge in neighboring countries.
These decapitations follow an incident in Mogadishu on
June 25 in which al-Shabaab amputated a hand and a leg
each of four teenagers accused of stealing mobile phones
and other possessions. With these actions al-Shabaab is
extending its reign of terror across Somalia.
Somalia is ranked No. 5 on this year's Open Doors World
Watch List which ranks the top persecutors of
Christians. The previous year Somalia was ranked No. 12.
"Those who come to Christ in Somalia do so at a huge
risk. Most of them are Muslim Background Believers who
face unbelievable pressure and persecution, even death
as reported this weekend," says Open Doors USA
President/CEO Carl Moeller.
"Somalia desperately needs our prayers as conditions
deteriorate. This country needs both physical and
spiritual nourishment. Please join me in praying for the
tremendous needs of Somalia and for the few brave
believers inside the country.”
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