Source: Barnabas Fund, May 22, 2018
Two thousand Kachin Christians, who were trapped in the jungle by the Myanmar (Burmese) Army have now reached safety, traveling on foot and by elephant.
Barnabas Fund contacts report that although they are now free and safe, many are still in desperate need and thousands of Kachin have taken shelter in churches. There is also the threat of further attacks by the military: “Please continue to pray for the Kachin. The Burmese Army have sent more troops to other Kachin areas, and we are expecting a new flood of attacks and refugees soon when the rainy season starts.”
Attacks by the army, which began in April, trapped around 2,000 Kachin Christian civilians in the jungle of northern Myanmar, with the total number of Kachin displaced estimated to be as high as 10,000. Those who fled, including new mothers and the elderly, have mostly traveled without any mechanized transport through thick jungle. Several are reported to have been injured by landmines.
» See full story with pictures and other news about the persecuted church from Barnabas Fund.
» See also Fulani Violence against Nigeria Christians Hits Record High (World Watch Monitor). Note that this story reflects not just a clash of religions but also the age-old conflict between farmers and herdsmen. We would do well to pray for persecutors as well as persecuted.