Somalia

By BosNewsLife Africa Service MOGADISHU, SOMALIA (BosNewsLife)-- Islamic militants In Somalia have shot and killed a woman who led an underground Christian movement as part of a crackdown on Christians in the war-torn nation, Christians said Thursday October 1.

By BosNewsLife Africa Service with additional reporting by BosNewsLife's Stefan J. Bos MOGADISHU, SOMALIA (BosNewsLife)-- Islamic militants have shot and killed a long-time underground Christian in Somalia after finding Bibles in his possession, BosNewsLife learned Sunday, September 20.

By BosNewsLife Africa Service MOGADISHU, SOMALIA (BosNewsLife)-- Christians in Somalia were facing another potential day of bloodshed Monday, August 24, amid fresh reports that Muslim militants are hunting down converts to Christianity, killing at least one man in recent days for abandoning Islam.

By BosNewsLife Africa Service MOGADISHU, SOMALIA (BosNewsLife)-- Christians in Somalia faced a tense day Thursday, August 13, amid fresh reports that fighters of the country's main Islamic insurgent group al-Shabab beheaded four Christian aid workers for refusing to renounce their faith in Christ.

By BosNewsLife Africa Service MOGADISHU, SOMALIA (BosNewsLife)-- Christians in Somalia faced a tense day Tuesday, July 21, after Al Shabaab Islamist rebels shot and killed Mohammed Sheikh Abdiraman because he converted from Islam to Christianity, witnesses said.

By BosNewsLife Africa Service MOGADISHU, SOMALIA (BosNewsLife)-- Muslim militants have beheaded two young boys in Somalia because their Christian father refused to hand over information about a church leader, a Christian news agency reported Wednesday, July 1.

By BosNewsLife News Center

NAIROBI, KENYA (BosNewsLife)-- Two Italian nuns kidnapped by Somali gunmen in a cross-border raid into Kenya in November were spent another day in freedom Thursday, February 26, after they were suddenly freed, missionaries confirmed.

Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent BosNewsLife at BosNewsLife News Center BUDAPEST, HUNGARY (BosNewsLife)-- Ukraine says a cargo ship laden with weapons, which was held by pirates off the coast of Somalia since September, has been freed, BosNewsLife monitored Friday, February 6.

By BosNewsLife Africa Service MOGADISHU, SOMALIA (BosNewsLife)-- Somali Christians were confronted with more violence Thursday, December 11, amid fresh reports that Ethiopian troops poured into neighboring Somalia to fight Muslim militants, who have killed and abducted Christians as part of their efforts to take over much of the country.

MOGADISHU, SOMALIA (BosNewsLife)-- Somali gunmen who kidnapped two Italian nuns during a raid on a Kenyan border town have taken them across the border deeper into Somalia, government officials said Tuesday, November 11.The abducted nuns' missionary group, the Movimento Contemplativo Missionario Padre de Foucauld, named them as Caterina Giraudo, 67, and Maria Teresa Olivero, 60. Witnesses said the armed men seized the women from their homes Monday, November 10, in the town of El Wak. They claimed kidnappers stole at least two vehicles.Italy's Foreign Ministry said Italian envoys in Kenya and the Vatican representative were working with local authorities to secure the nuns' freedom.RESCUE EFFORTS Somali officials said they were working around the clock to find the nuns. "We've been searching for the nuns and the bandits since last night and there's no trace of them," Hussein Sheikh Hassan, administrator of El Wak district in Somalia, told Reuters news agency. He added that the kidnappers were apparently heading towards Garbahaarey, about 175 km (110 miles) northeast of El Wak town."We are finding it very difficult to trail them. We ask Kenya's government to cooperate and help us coordinate the search ... We'll welcome any Kenyan delegation, whether security or elders, so as to rescue the nuns and recover the cars," Hassan was quoted as saying. MORE DANGER The kidnapping underscored the danger faced my Christian missionaries. Somali bandits have carried out an increasing number of kidnappings, often targeting foreigners or Somalis working with international organizations.In the latest show of force by the hardline Islamist al Shabaab group, its fighters seized two southern towns, Bulamarer and Qoryoley in the Lower Shabelle region, on Tuesday, November 11, news reports said.Battles between the Islamists and local militia also killed six people in El Dheer, in Galgadud region, and al Shabaab gunmen in trucks mounted with heavy weapons were also said to be heading towards Merka town, local officials said. Last week, gunmen stormed an airstrip in central Somalia, abducting four European aid workers and their two pilots.END