On 12 June Ibrahim Saidou was traveling to buy farm supplies when he decided to visit the church where he served as an elder.
Ibrahim lived in an area of Burkina Faso where Islamic terrorist groups associated with the self-proclaimed Islamic State (ISIS) actively worked to establish purely Muslim territory ruled by Islamic law. These groups regularly attack churches and Christian leaders.
On his way to the church, Ibrahim was attacked and murdered by a group of Islamic militants. Fearing that they would also be killed, his wife, Esther, and her six children, ages 5 to 22, were forced to flee the area. Esther is struggling with questions about why her husband was killed and has asked for prayer to remain strong in the Lord.
Burkina Faso has seen a sharp rise in Islamist activity since 2016. Christians have been a primary target of the Islamists’ campaign since April 2019, when approximately 70 Christians were killed and five churches were attacked. More than 200 churches have reportedly closed in northern and eastern Burkina Faso because of security issues and the threat of attack. Islamist activity also has increased in the southwestern part of the country, with more attacks on churches and the murder of several pastors. As many as 10,000 Christians have fled their homes as a result of violence and threats against Christians throughout the country.
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