Pakistani Christian man dies from blasphemy mob assault injuries

June 4, 2024 — Voice of America News reports: “Police and relatives in majority-Muslim Pakistan reported Monday that a Christian man who was severely injured in a mob attack a week ago over disputed blasphemy allegations has died due to his injuries.

Nazir Masih, the 70-year-old victim, was receiving treatment for severe head injuries at a military-run hospital near the capital, Islamabad, after being rescued, along with family members, from angry protesters gathered outside his residence in the city of Sargodha on May 25. He underwent multiple surgeries but could not survive, a police official said.

The mob ransacked Masih’s house and burned down his shoe shop, claiming he had desecrated Islam’s holy book, the Quran, allegations his relatives rejected as baseless.

Social media videos from Sargodha showed Christians carrying Masih’s coffin through the street, shouting ‘Praise to Jesus’ and ‘Jesus is great.’ The coffin was covered in black fabric and had a small crucifix on it.

Christian community leaders lamented the latest mob lynching and urged the Pakistani government to ensure the protection of religious minorities and to punish those responsible for inciting mob violence in the name of religion over controversial blasphemy charges…”  (Great persecution will soon overtake most Christians in a majority of the world.  Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.  Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you. – Matthew 5:10 – 12; If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.  If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.  Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.  But all these things will they do unto you for my name’s sake, because they know not him that sent me. – John 15:18 – 21; …When he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held.  — Revelation 6:9; …I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. – Revelation 20:4; and Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life. – Revelation 2:10. See the next report.)

ISIS kills dozens of Christians in DRC; churches close after latest attacks

June 17, 2024 — The Christian Post reports: “The Islamic State has claimed responsibility for killing dozens of people in a series of violent attacks lasting multiple days in several villages in the Democratic Republic of Congo, with at least 80 Christians reportedly among the dead, military and local sources say. 

The series of attacks saw one of its deadliest days on June 7, when suspected militants from the Islamic State-affiliated Allied Democratic Forces launched coordinated assaults on several villages in the Beni territory of the Christian-majority North Kivu province.

On Friday, the Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack that killed over 40 people in the village of Mayikengo in Lubero territory earlier in the week. Citing figures from local authorities, Agence France-Presse reports that nearly 150 people have been killed since the beginning of June by the Allied Democratic Forces. 

Open Doors, a watchdog organization monitoring the persecution of Christians in over 60 countries, responded to the attacks in a statement shared with The Christian Post, saying that of those killed, at least 80 were Christians. While ADF attacks in DRC are not new, Open Doors reports that the recent violence is ‘comparatively deadlier’ and particularly more ‘aggressive in targeting Christians’ than in previous years…”  

Nineteen dead in attacks on churches and synagogue in southern Russia

June 24, 2024 — BBC.com reports: “Attacks on police posts, churches and a synagogue in Russia’s North Caucasus republic of Dagestan have left 19 police officers and several civilians dead. Six gunmen were also killed.

The apparently coordinated attacks targeted the cities of Derbent and Makhachkala on the Orthodox festival of Pentecost.

The assailants have not been officially identified, but Dagestan has in the past been the scene of Islamist attacks.

The republic’s head, Sergei Melikov, said it was understood who was behind the organisation of the attacks, without giving details.

Two churches and a synagogue were targeted in Sunday’s attacks, as well as a police post in Makhachkala, Dagestan’s largest city. An Orthodox Church priest was among those killed.

Mr Melikov said several civilians had lost their life, including a priest, Father Nikolai Kotelnikov, who he said had served in Derbent for more than 40 years.

Mr Melikov announced that three days of mourning would begin on Monday.

The gunmen have not yet been officially identified, but in a video on Telegram, Mr Melikov said their attack had been prepared abroad and that Dagestan was now directly involved in Russia’s war in Ukraine…”  (If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.  If ye were of the world, the world would love his own; but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.  Remember the word that I have said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord.  If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep your also.  But all these things will they do unto you for my name’s sake, because they know not him that sent me.  If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloak for their sin.  He that hateth me hateth my Father also.  If I had not done among them the works which none other man did, they had not had sin: but now have they both seen and hated both me and my Father.  These things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be offended.  They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service. And these things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor me – John 15:18 – 24; 16:1 – 3.)