Christians are targets of violent persecution from Islamic extremist groups.
bottom"I do believe that we are displaced, but Jesus is not and will never be displaced from our lives. He is always with us.”
– Pastor Soré, displaced believer
The situation in Burkina Faso continues to deteriorate. Over the last few years, the country has risen sharply on the World Watch List owing to a spike in violence against followers of Jesus. Violent Islamist extremists have forced Christians to flee, and even cities that used to be safe are now at risk of attack.
The goal of extremist groups such as Jama’a Nusrat ul-Islam wa al-Muslimin (JNIM)—a group that has pledged allegiance to al-Qaeda—is to create an Islamic caliphate. They drive their mission by regularly targeting Christians and Christian communities, forcing churches to close, and destroying Christian schools.
The violence has also caused severe displacement and food shortages, creating a significant humanitarian crisis in Burkina Faso that is affecting many followers of Jesus. Christians who have been driven from their homes by Islamist extremists face food insecurity, lack of protection, and limited governmental or international support.
The government only controls about half the country. Christians living in areas controlled by Islamist extremists are at very high risk of being kidnapped, displaced, or worse.
Women and girls in Burkina Faso face distinctive forms of persecution, including sexual assault, forced marriage, banishment, abduction, and pervasive threats of death and abuse. Christian women also encounter pressures such as family rejection and discrimination, which contribute to a complex environment of fear and insecurity.
According to reports, an unknown number of pastors and their families have been abducted and remain in captivity. Some have even been killed.
– For believers displaced by Islamist extremists. Ask God to bring them hope and healing.
– For believers who have endured violence. Ask God to bind up their wounds.
– That church leaders forced to flee their homes will be encouraged and strengthened.
Open Doors works through local partners to strengthen Christians in Burkina Faso by providing persecution survival training, relief aid, and spiritual and trauma care.
