12/23/2020 Pakistan (International Christian Concern) – Last week, security forces in Pakistan reportedly stopped a major terror attack planned to take place on Christmas Day in Peshawar. In a raid on a house in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Khyber district, four terrorists, including the leader of a banned militant outfit, were arrested.
The arrests took place last Thursday, December 17, after a raid on a house in Sipah. Security forces arrested four terrorists, including Zakir Afridi, the commander of Lashkar-e-Islam.
Along with the terrorists, security forces seized three suicide jackets and six improvised explosive devices.
Pakistan’s Christian community is often targeted by terrorists and extremists. Terrorists view Christians and their places of worship as representations of the West and target them to make political statements.
In September 2013, two suicide bombers from the Pakistani Taliban attacked All Saints Church in Peshawar. Over 100 Christians were killed when the bombers blew themselves up in the courtyard of the church following a Sunday worship service. In claiming responsibility for the bombing, the Pakistan Taliban stated it targeted All Saints Church as a statement against US drone strikes in Pakistan.
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