In the past two days, thousands of Muslims have razed five churches and the homes of two evangelists in Asendabo, Ethiopia, reports Michael Ireland, Chief Correspondent, ASSIST News Service. International Christian Concern (ICC)www.persecution.org says it has learned that Christian leaders are asking for protection after the Muslim attackers continued burning churches even after the federal police were sent to the town. ICC says the Muslims started the attacks yesterday after falsely accusing the Christians of desecrating the Qur'an. More than ten thousand Muslims shouted "Allah Akbar" (Allah is great) as they burned down five evangelical churches. According to ICC, the Ethiopian government sent the federal police force to protect the Christians after the Muslims burned down the first three churches. The Muslims overwhelmed the police force and burned down two more churches today. Speaking with ICC, Christian leaders expressed their fear that Muslims will start killing the Christians unless the government sends more security forces to contain the Muslim attackers. At the time of the writing of this ICC report, none of the Muslim attackers have been arrested. The government officials detained some Christians and took them to the nearby Jimma town stating that they need to do that for their own security. ICC explained that Ethiopia is a Christian majority country and was one of the first nations to accept Christianity. However, in the areas of the country where Muslims are the majority, Christians face attacks. "We urge Ethiopian government forces to send reinforcement to protect the Christians in the city of Asendabo from the Muslim attacks. We ask Christians around the world to prevent any further attacks by calling the Ethiopian officials in their countries and asking them to protect the Christians and their property," said ICC's Regional Manager for Africa, Jonathan Racho. Please urgently contact the Ethiopian officials in your country and urge them to send more security forces to protect the Christians from the Muslim attacks. Ethiopian Embassies: USA 202 364 1200 Canada 416 482 6637 Germany 493077206 UK 020 78383897/020 7838 3898 ICC (International Christian Concern) www.persecution.org is a Washington-DC based human rights organization that exists to help persecuted Christians worldwide. ICC provides Awareness, Advocacy, and Assistance to the worldwide persecuted Church. For additional information or for an interview, contact ICC at 800-422-5441.
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