Africa

By BosNewsLife Africa Service BANGUI, CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC (BosNewsLife)-- Christians in Central African Republic feared more violence Thursday, January 30, following the reported killing of a prominent Baptist church official and his son by Muslim rebels. Pastor Kongbo, treasurer of the Union des Eglises Baptistes (UEB), was killed Tuesday, January 28, along with his son at their home by the rebels, known as Seleka.

Listen to the full interview with Ferdinand Lugonzo:  By BosNewsLife Africa Service with additional reporting by BosNewsLife's Stefan J. Bos and Vatican Radio's Laura Ieraci JUBA, SOUTH SUDAN (BosNewsLife)-- Christians in South Sudan faced more uncertainty Tuesday, January, 28, after churches were reportedly attacked, priests forced to flee their posts, while a bishop disappeared. Among those attacked were Catholic church premises in the South Sudanese diocese of Malakal, situated in an area of the world's youngest nation, which has been hit by more than a month of fighting between South Sudanese government forces and rebels.

By BosNewsLife Africa Service ABUJA, NIGERIA (BosNewsLife)-- Christians in Nigeria were mourning their dead Tuesday, January 27, after nearly 100 people were killed by suspected Islamic militants in the country's troubled northeast, including at a church service. The fighters, who were believed to be members of the Islamist group Boko Haram, killed 22 people by setting off bombs and firing into the congregation in the Catholic church of Waga Chakawa village in Adamawa state on Sunday, January 25, officials said.

By BosNewsLife Africa Service ABUJA, NIGERIA (BosNewsLife)-- Suspected Islamic militants armed with guns and explosives attacked a busy church service in a northeastern Nigerian village, killing at least 22 people, witnesses and church officials said Monday, January 27. The attackers reportedly set off bombs and fired into the congregation in the Catholic church  in Waga Chakawa village in Adamawa state on Sunday, January 26, before burning houses and taking residents hostage during a four hour siege.

(ADDS MILITARY PROPOSAL FOR NEW PRESIDENT, RESIGNATION DEPUTY PM) By BosNewsLife Middle East Service CAIRO, EGYPT (BosNewsLife)-- Egypt's minority Christians faced new threats Monday, January 27, after scores of people were killed in weekend clashes between security forces and protesters on the third anniversary of the country's 2011 uprising. Most people were killed Saturday, January 25, the official date of the popular revolt that toppled autocrat Hosni Mubarak.

By BosNewsLife News Center BUDAPEST, HUNGARY (BosNewsLife)-- Thousands of Christians have died for their faith in the past year, twice more than in 2012,  according to Open Doors International’s 2014 World Watch List. Open Doors International, a charity supporting Christians persecuted for their faith, said 2,123 Christians were reported to have been killed during 12 months ending October 31, 2014.

By BosNewsLife Middle East and Africa Services TRIPOLI, LIBYA (BosNewsLife)-- A month after an American teacher was gunned down in Libya friends an d family members are convinced that he was killed because of his Christian faith.

By BosNewsLife Middle East and Africa Services CAIRO, EGYPT (BosNewsLife)-- A young Coptic Christian man has died from gunshot injuries in Egypt's capital Cairo, after three local hospitals turned him away, Christians said Tuesday, January 6. Ihab Ghattas, 23, reportedly died on New Year's Eve from a gunshot wound to the head because of “negligence” as the hospitals which refused to treat him, said Copts activist group Maspero Youth Union (MYU).

By BosNewsLife's Stefan J. Bos and Paul Jongas reporting from Nigeria ABUJA, NIGERIA (BosNewsLife)-- At least 30 people were feared dead Tuesday, January 7, after suspected Islamic gunmen attacked a Christian village in central Nigeria, local officials and survivors said.

By BosNewsLife Africa and Middle East Services with reporting by BosNewsLife's Stefan J. Bos TRIPOLI, LIBYA (BosNewsLife)-- Minority Christians in Libya have begun the New Year with concern after parliament voted to make sharia, or Islamic law, the source of all legislation.