AFRICA/KENYA - Muslim Passengers protect Christians from the Shabaab: "a very positive thing" says the Bishop of Garissa

Nairobi (Agenzia Fides) - "It is a very good thing; a concrete sign that Kenyan Muslims are against violence", says His Exc. Mgr. Joseph Alexander, Bishop of Garissa, in north-eastern Kenya, on the border with Somalia, in whose diocese is included the town of Elwak where a bus travelling between Mandera and Nairobi was attacked yesterday by a group of Somali Shabaab. The terrorists tried to separate the Muslim hostages from non-Muslims, to kill them. But Muslim passengers opposed, saving the lives of their Christian compatriots. In the attack, however, two people were killed, a passenger and a lorry driver travelling on the same route.
"The Shabaab now know that they do not have the support of the Muslim community", said Mgr. Alessandro. "We hope that we continue in this direction, because a year ago there was a similar attack that caused a massacre" the Bishop concluded. On 22 November 2014, in fact the Shabaab killed 22 people who were on a bus while they were returning to the places of origin for the Christmas holidays (see Fides 24/11/2014). The victims were chosen on the basis of their religious affiliation. The same fate was reserved to 36 workers of a quarry in the village of Koromei who were massacred on 1 December (see Fides 02/12/2014). (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 22/12/2015)

Share:

terrorism

---

---