Al Shabaab insurgents in Somalia are reported to have murdered a Christian and abducted his four children for military training. Extremists shot dead Osman Abdullah Fataho in front of his wife and children at their home in Afgoi near Mogadishu – before kidnapping the woman and her family on July 21. They later released Osman's wife – but kept her children, who are aged five, seven, ten and 15, according to Compass Direct news agency. Compass sources suggest the children will be forcibly converted to Islam and turned into child soldiers.
Osman, who was 'deeply involved' in the activities of his secret Christian community, is reported to have been raised as a Muslim – making him an obvious target for Al Shabaab.The insurgents are determined to extend Sharia or strict Islamic law across Somalia – and are actively targeting Christians, murdering at least 15 of them last year alone. Al Shabaab recently outlawed bell-ringing at the end of school classes – because it evoked the sound of church bells. Compass Direct reports that this and other instances of anti-Christian violence have forced several leaders of Somalia's underground Christian movement to flee their homes and go into hiding.
Those of us who are disciples of Jesus would want to ask God to comfort and strengthen Osman's grieving and traumatised family, and to pray that his children will be rescued and reunited with their mother. We would also want to pray that God will protect and multiply His church in Somalia so that they will 'shine like stars' in this troubled land (Philippians 2:15).
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