But peace surrounding latest election brings hope Nigeria, July 02, 2015 (ZENIT.org) Staff Reporter | 1007 hits This report is contributed by Dennis Peters of Aid to the Church in Need. — Kaduna, Nigeria, and neighboring Zaria hold bitter memories. Located in the center of the country, more or less on the fault line between the Muslim north and the Christian south, the communities have suffered brutal attacks by Boko Haram in recent times. Plus, in the wake of the 2011 presidential elections that brought a Christian—Goodluck Jonathan—into power, these … Continue reading →

Over the last three days attacks also hit markets and public establishments. The United Nations envoy works for a ceasefire to allow the delivery of aid. Doctors Without Borders speak of hundreds of civilians affected. More than 3 thousand victims since the Riyadh coalition attacks began. Sana’a (AsiaNews / Agencies) – The death toll from a series of air raids led by Saudi Arabia in Yemen over the past three days has reached nearly one hundred people, while the chances of reaching a humanitarian ceasefire grow increasingly distant. The United … Continue reading →

A violent explosion has severely damaged the building of the Italian diplomatic mission in Cairo. The offices were closed and a passer-by was the only victim. Fr. Rafic Greiche tells AsiaNews: “The terrorist attack did not intend to kill, but to send a message to the west and Italy, and show the weakness of the Egyptian government.” Cairo (AsiaNews) – A powerful explosion hit and seriously damaged the Italian consulate in Cairo, Egypt this morning. The bomb was placed in a car parked near the building, one of the oldest … Continue reading →

Scores of former members of the GAM separatist group are ready to fly to Syria to fight for jihad. A formal letter was sent to the province’s governor asking for money. Since January 2014, a group affiliated with the Islamic State group has existed in Aceh, the only Indonesian province where Sharia is enforced. Banda Aceh (AsiaNews) – Some former militants with the Free Aceh Movement (Gerakan Aceh Merdeka, GAM) have sent a letter to the provincial governor, Zaini Abdullah, asking him to provide financial support so that they can … Continue reading →

The Custody of the Holy Land announces that the Fr. Dhiya Azziz has been liberated. The Custody had had no news of the Fr. Dihya since Saturday, July 4, in the late afternoon. Conflicting news had nevertheless led people to believe that he had been taken by jihadists affiliated to Al-Nusra Jabhat, which administers the emirate in the sector. This group has denied any involvement in his kidnapping and allegedly led the police investigation in neighboring villages which led to his liberation. Fr. Dhiya was allegedly abducted by another group … Continue reading →

The Syrian-born French scholar Joseph Yacoub speaks to AsiaNews. The Islamic State offensive has caused a “catastrophe” for minority and other Muslims. Need for “long-term” humanitarian, military and “above all political” solutions. Citizenship, peace and rights to end crisis. Rome (AsiaNews) – In Iraq, Syria and throughout the Middle East, the situation “is disturbing for many reasons”, starting with the Islamic state (IS) invasion of Mosul and the plain of Nineveh last June of the. This “caused a catastrophe within the Christian community.” says Joseph Yacoub, an Assyrian-Chaldean native of … Continue reading →

From Ankawa By Samuel Smith , CP Reporter Bishop Jammo Chaldean Catholic Bishop Mar Sarhad Yawsip Jammo speaks at Skyline Wesleyan Church’s Future Conference in La Mesa, California on June 17, 2015. In a passionate speech presenting the historic sacrifice made by Iraqi Christians on Wednesday, Chaldean Catholic Bishop Mar Sarhad Yawsip Jammo said that although Iraqi Christians have been slaughtered in masses by ISIS, Iraqi Christians have been proudly losing their lives in the name of Jesus since before Islam existed. Speaking at Skyline Wesleyan Church’s Future Conference in … Continue reading →

Aged 10-15 years, the kidnapped children are set to be trained as terrorists, a spokesperson for the ruling Kurdistan Democratic Party said. IS also took away 78 adults, who tried to protect the children. Baghdad (AsiaNews/Agencies) – Islamic State group militants abduct 111 schoolchildren in Mosul to train as terrorists, Iraq’s Arabic news channel Al Sumaria reported. The abducted children, mostly aged between 10 and 15 years, were moved to the IS terrorist group’s educational and military centres for brainwashing, Iraqi Kurdistan Democratic Party spokesperson Saeed Mamuzini told the TV … Continue reading →

Bethlehem (Agenzia Fides) – An impressive building complex owned by the Presbyterian Church located in the Palestinian territory was sold and, after several changes of ownership, is preparing to host a community of Jewish settlers. This was reported by official sources of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, deploring the serious implications this will have on the life of the local Christian community. “It is an incident that does not help peace”, says to Agenzia Fides Bishop William Shomali, Patriarchal Vicar of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem. The site, which is … Continue reading →