- Jul 27, 2009
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Friday, February 10, 2012
Islamist militants in Somalia have beheaded a Christian relief worker the third Christian to be killed in this way since September.
It has emerged that al-Shabaab militia murdered 26-year-old Zakaria Hussein Omar in January near the capital Mogadishu.
Zakaria worked for a Christian humanitarian organisation that had been banned by the Islamist extremists. He converted to Christianity from Islam seven years ago. A close friend who identified his body said Zakaria realised his life would be in danger if he continued in his work.
Al-Shabaab has vowed to rid the country of its Christian minority.
In September the terrorist group beheaded two other Christians, including a 17-year-old boy. They have publicly flogged and paraded other converts.
The militants are fighting for control of the country. But Somalia's UN-backed transitional government considered by some to be moderate has also embraced a form of Sharia (Islamic law) that mandates the death penalty for converts from Islam.
Please pray for courage, wisdom and protection for Somalia's small Christian minority. There are said to be fewer than 31,000 Christians in Somalia and numbers are falling.
Pray that Somalia's Christians will live in peace and remain faithful in their witness.
And pray that those responsible for the violence and murder in the name of their religion would instead embrace peace.
