• Nevertheless, a culture of discrimination was reported in schools: for example, in Turkey, with students banned from marking Christian feasts and complaints about Islamic indoctrination in schools. 7 triggered by an upsurge in violence, including persecution against Christians, was particularly severe for children. Sub-Saharan countries, such as Sudan, reported record levels of children suffering extreme food scarcity. 8 Africa • The impact of the above-mentioned mass migration The situation for Christians in Africa has been on the decline since August 2022, with Islamist militancy emerging as a principal cause of concern. The period saw ongoing jihadist and insurgent violence in Sub- Saharan Africa. Christians are not the only victims of armed conflict in these regions, but they tend to be disproportionately targeted by militants. Most Islamist terrorist activity has taken place in the Sahel region – especially Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, and Nigeria – but also in Mozambique. Apart from religious extremism, other factors driving the violence include sectarian and ethnic differences, conflict over land, lack of access to resources, weak national governments, separatist movements, and alliances between transnational jihadist networks and criminal gangs. 9 Terrorist and insurgent groups have targeted state authorities, as well as civilians of different faiths. However, evidence shows that Christians are especially vulnerable to attacks and are likely to be targeted by extremists, particularly in countries or regions where they are a minority, such as northern Burkina Faso, Mozambique, and northern Nigeria. 10 In Burkina Faso and Mozambique, ongoing Islamist insurgencies 11 have led to thousands of civilians being killed and millions displaced. Extremists have specifically targeted Christian communities in both countries, separating them from their Muslim neighbors and forcing them out of their villages on a number of occasions. In Burkina Faso, the territories controlled by jihadist groups have expanded and now comprise around 40 percent of the country, with Christian women especially at risk of sexual violence by terrorists. 12 In Sudan, a coup d’état in October 2021, and an ongoing civil war, which broke out in April 2023, have eroded all previous progress made toward religious freedom. Church buildings have been confiscated for use by the military, and Christian communities have been directly targeted by armed forces. 13 In Nigeria’s northern and Middle Belt regions, Boko Haram/Islamic State: West Africa Province (ISWAP) and
Francisco Faustino fled his village in Pemba, Mozambique after it was attacked by jihadists: “In the first attack, two people were brutally beheaded, and houses were set on fire. "The second attack, in late October 2020, was more violent; the insurgents stayed in town for more than two months. We wandered in the forest, trying to get water." He has since received aid from an ACN-backed Church program. 9
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