ICC Note: Muslim extremists have murdered three Christians in Timbuktu, leaving northern Mali’s Christian community grieving. A jihadist gunman reportedly opened fire outside of a Christian radio station in the northern Mali town, which has been overrun by Al Qaeda and affiliates. For the past four years, Islamists have surged in Mali controlling most of the country’s territory north of Mopti, imposing Sharia Law and creating a massive displacement crisis of Malians fleeing from the north. The following World Watch Monitor report includes more details.
12/21/15 Timbuktu, Mali (World Watch Monitor) – Three men were killed when an unidentified gunman opened fire outside a Christian radio station in Mali last night (17 December).
Two of the men worked for the station; the third was a friend visiting the station.
The motive for the attack on Radio Tahanint in Timbuktu is unknown, but witnesses described the gunman as a turbaned Tuareg. One local source said gunfire could still be heard after the event.
Radio Tahanint, which means “mercy” in the local dialect, had just finished broadcasting for the day, when the trio were shot outside the building. The radio station is closely linked with a local Baptist Church and evangelical mission.
Dr. Mohamed-Ibrahim Yattara, President of the Baptist Church in Mali, told World Watch Monitor Christians were “shocked to see what happened”.
“We are trying to find out what happened, but for now we don’t have any explanation,” he said. “It’s a Christian radio station that was broadcasting messages of peace lately. One of the young men who was shot last night, he had just finished broadcasting and his last words were about peace.”
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