UPDATE: Fourteen AG Churches Burned in Niger

Following the terrorist attack on Charlie Hebdo offices in Paris, France, earlier this month that led to 12 people being killed and 11 more wounded, extremists in Niger — a former French colony — have pushed the violence to even greater levels. According to recent reports, at least 10 people have been killed, more than 170 injured, hotels and businesses have been burned, and at last count, 45 churches have been attacked and burned, including 14 Assemblies of God churches.

"We now know of 14 AG churches in Niger that have been attacked and burned as well as an AG orphanage," says Randy Hurst, director of communications for AG World Missions. AG World Missions additionally received reports of a parsonage and a pastor's home being burned. "Please pray for an end to the violence and for God's comfort and guidance for missionaries, church leaders, and believers."

The latest extreme violence in Niger has surprised some experts. Many living in Muslim-majority nations believed Charlie Hebdo’s depictions of Muhammad to be unnecessarily provocative, and even blasphemous. Political grievances and even Boko Haram (a militant group from neighboring Nigeria) fueling some of unrest have been cited as reasons for what has been seen as an unusually strong reaction in Niger.

With nearly 60 percent of the people considered at or below the poverty line in Niger, the loss of churches is particularly hard hitting. In addition, with the gross net income per person at just $400, rebuilding a church is not done with ease — especially in a land where churches are considered targets for extremists.

AGWM’s request for prayer for an end to violence is more far-reaching than the nation of Niger. According to IC News, more than 50 separate anti-Muslim incidents have been reported across France since the attack on Charlie Hebdo. With a growing anti-Muslim sentiment in Europe, there is some fear that civil unrest could quickly escalate.

"Although we thank God that no members of the Niger Assemblies of God lost their lives in the violence, Christian believers in Niger are facing incredible pressures and persecution," states Hurst. "And in Europe, where for decades Christianity has been on the decline, there is also a desperate need for God to intervene. However, pray not just for an end to the violence, but that God will give Christians numerous opportunities to share Christ in word and action with their friends and neighbors who, up to this point, may have rejected anything to do with Christ."

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