ICC Note:
Twelve people were killed over the weekend as Boko Haram attacked two separate Christians villages. According to reports, these attacks followed a televised message from Boko Haram’s leader claiming that their war was a religious war and that Christians were the enemy. Boko Haram has been fighting the Nigerian government in northern Nigeria for four year in an attempt to establish a separate Islamic state where it can impose its fundamentalist brand of Sharia law. As a part of the groups overall strategy, Christians are attacked and killed in an attempt to purify northern Nigeria’s population. Please pray for these persecuted Christians. 
12/31/2013 Nigeria (CBN) – Twelve people died in Nigeria after attacks on two Christian villages this weekend.
Authorities suspect Islamic extremists are behind the violence. The radical Islamic Boko Haram is waging a war to establish Shariah law in northern Nigeria.
One attack took place at a pre-wedding bachelor party. Suspected fighters from Boko Haram opened fire on the group, killing eight people. The assaults are the latest in a string of violence against Christians that began four years ago.
The leader of the group Abubakar Shekau threatened more attacks in a video.
“As for killing, we will kill because Allah says we should decapitate, we should amputate limbs, we should mutilate,” he said.
Shekau made it clear Boko Haram is fighting in the name of Islam.
“They try to brainwash the people that we are fighting an ethnic war,” Shekau said in the video.
“No, we are fighting a religious war, we are fighting Jonathan, we are fighting Christians,” he said, referring to President Goodluck Jonathan.
The attacks, which have killed thousands, have harmed Muslims as well as Christians.
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