Syria: Tanks shelling Tel Kelakh
Tanks have been bombarding border town Tel Kelakh since Saturday as they crush protests against President Bashar al-Assad following Sundays demonstrations demanding ‘the overthrow of the regime’ - the slogan of revolutions that toppled other Arab leaders. The army is storming houses and making arrests, then withdrawing from neighbourhoods after these raids. Some families are resisting, preferring death to humiliation. Human rights groups say Assad’s crackdown has killed at least 700 civilians. ‘We're without water, electricity or communications’, a resident of Tel Kelakh said on satellite phone. Artillery and heavy machinegun fire hit the main road to Lebanon on Tuesday night, some people trying to escape to Lebanon turned back because shelling was too heavy. The Tunisian government threatens to report Libya to UN Security Council if shelling on the border does not stop. See: Pray: for the homeless refugees fleeing Syrian violence and for the terrorised residents left behind. (Ps.23:4) More: http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/05/18/us-syria-idUSLDE73N02P20110518
Iraq: Christian man held to ransom then killed
Ashur Issa Yaqub, a 29-year-old Chaldean Christian construction worker was abducted by gunmen in the northern city of Kirkuk, held to ransom over the weekend for $100,000, but then his body was found Tuesday in Kirkuk with signs of torture and his head almost completely cut off. A source told the Aswat al-Iraq news agency that the abductors killed Yaqub when the ransom was not paid. The killing was blamed on Al-Qaeda insurgents.Christians continue to endure hardship and discrimination in Iraq, where human rights organisations warn that Islamic extremists are trying to drive them out of the country.
Pray: for God to hide his people from spiritual attack, protect them from physical attack and empower them to stand against opposition. (1Cor:15:58)
Egypt: Rising violence against Christians
A group of experts, advocates and faith leaders with an interest in Egypt, religious freedom and human rights released a statement expressing concern at the increasing attacks on Coptic Christians in Egypt, and the manner in which such attacks are being reported by international and local media. The group’s statement says, ‘The collapse of ‘powerful state apparatus' and ‘subsequent power vacuum’ quickly opened a ‘Pandora's Box’ of social problems that the Mubarak regime had either maintained or failed to address. We are now witnessing political struggles for power and influence in the new Egypt.’ (See last weeks PA re Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt) According to Christian Solidarity Worldwide 60+ people were injured on Saturday when Christians protested outside Cairo’s television buildings against attacks on churches the previous weekend, that left 12 dead, were themselves attacked by 100+ people with stones, gasoline bombs and guns. Fighting continued for several hours before the army restored order. Pray: for true democracy in Egypt and an end to civil unrest and attacks on Christians. (Ps.45:6)
Guatemala: 'Emergency' over killings
Guatemalan president Alvaro Colom has declared a ‘state of siege’ along the Mexican border, where at least 27 people were killed over the weekend in a ‘Mexico Zetas’ drug gang massacre. The state of emergency will restrict demonstrations and allow police to carry out raids at night, and try to track down the killers. The order finishes Tuesday. Police have captured one suspect and killed two others in an operation in which two policemen were wounded. Alvaro Colom said that Guatemala must confront the aggression which had infected the entire region. Authorities have identified 15 of the 27 migrant farm workers beheaded in the massacre, three children and two women were among the victims, the youngest was 13 years old. (See last weeks PA re. Mexico borders Drug/Human trafficking)
Pray: that this investigation will be completely lawful, protected from corruptive influence and ask Him for a season of justice and restoration for the area. (Ps.9:16)
More: http://english.aljazeera.net/video/americas/2011/05/2011517103516680111.html
