NIGERIA – Boko Haram ‘using babies in suicide bombings’ Boko Haram has sunk to new depths of depravity. Female suicide bombers in Nigeria are now carrying babies to avoid detection. In January two women detonated devices, killing four civilians as well as themselves and their babies in the town of Madagali. They were able to pass through a...
IRAQ – Freedom at last after two years under IS in Mosul Two months ago Ismail fled the Iraqi city of Mosul with his mother Jandark Behnam Mansour Nassi (55), after they had to survive under the terror of IS for over two years. Ismail and Jandark now live in Erbil, in the Iraqi...
SYRIA – Vatican sends delegation to newly liberated Aleppo At the beginning of January Cardinal Mario Zenari, Apostolic Nuncio for Syria, expressed his desire that 2017 would be a year that “truly marks” a change in Syria – a country that has been devastated by almost six years of war and where the fighting...
POLAND – Belarusian bishops meet Church benefactors in Warsaw The Catholic bishops of Belarus made a short visit to Warsaw to thank the largest institutions that have been helping the Church in Belarus for many years. These include the Pontifical Association of Aid to the Church in Need, the German aid association Renovabis, the...
PAPUA NEW GUINEA Priest dedicates his life to the poorest remote communities In the deep Melanesian jungles, a native Papua New Guinea Catholic priest walks miles through the deep thick forests. He scales the country’s steep mountainous terrain to reach his remote flock and serve in the poorest parishes every weekend. “These people live...
PAKISTAN – Christians united in prayer and deeds The Week for the Unity of Christians in Pakistan ended with an ecumenical prayer vigil where Christian of different denominations gathered to pray, reflect and share experiences. The four main Christian communities in the country are: the Catholic Church, the Anglican Church (known as the “Church...
IRAQ – Inhabitants of Qaraqosh assess damage after IS occupation “I don’t understand how people can harm each other so much,” sighs security guard Louis Petrus. Today, Louis has returned to his hometown for the first time: the Christian city of Qaraqosh, near Mosul, which he had to flee on 6 August 2014, when IS...
SYRIA – Aleppo sporadic fighting still going on despite ceasefire Aleppo is still far from peaceful after its costly liberation: despite the agreed ceasefire between Russia, Iran, Turkey and Syria, sporadic gunfire continues in the beleaguered city. The director of the German branch of the Catholic charity ” Aid to the Church in Need”, Karin...
INDIA – The Church in India a shining light for all to see India is a country of more than 1.2 billion people, with Christians accounting for only some 3 percent of the population, including close to 19 million Catholics. Despite its relatively small size, the Indian Church has a disproportionate impact on Indian...
Is political correctness stopping Governments helping Middle East Christians? A long term reluctance to intervene by governments of the US, EU and other western powers has made the plight of Christians and other religious minorities in Iraq and Syria even worse. The latest Report produced by an alliance of 15 charities including Aid to...
