09/12/2019 Burkina Faso (International Christian Concern) – Burkina Faso, a majority Muslim nation, has long been known as a peaceful and stable country between different religious groups. Christians, who make up about 20% of the population, have been free to worship and evangelize for many years. Over the past several years, however, Burkina Faso has seen rising extremism coming south from its porous border with Mali. Though, these extremists have attacked mainly government and western targets for most of that time, at the beginning of this year, they began targeting specifically Christian leaders, places of worship and laypeople.
According to the Barnabus Fund, at least 56 Christians have been attacked and killed in Burkina Faso. The first set of attacks took place earlier this year between April and June. Four attacks took place on Christians, where over 20 people were killed. In each of these attacks, the jihadist groups separated off the Christians that they found and then executed them for their faith and when they would not turn to Islam.
Now, over the past several weeks, another set of attacks have killed dozens more. In twin attacks which took place on 8 September, 29 people were killed. These attacks targeted food trucks and traders bringing food to the displaced communities in the North of the country.
The government in Burkina Faso is trying to quell these attack by instituting military actions throughout the country. So far, they have been unable to stop these attacks though. Please pray for the safety of the people of Burkina Faso, wisdom for their leaders as they try to protect them, and repentance and forgiveness for those committing these atrocities.
For interviews, please contact Olivia Miller, Communications Coordinator: press@persecution.org.
