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Uganda: Islamic extremists hack prayer leader to death in church attack

by Karen Faulkner, Worthy News Correspondent

(Worthy News) – Islamic extremists in western Uganda hacked a prayer leader to death and severely injured a number of others during a brutal machete attack on the Katikara Anglican Church in Kakumiro District last week, International Christian Concern (ICC) reports. Christianity is legal in Uganda but violent Islamic extremism has taken an increasing hold on the country.

In a statement confirming the June 20 attack, the Kamumiro Police Chief said: ‘‘People were attending overnight prayers when the attack happened. After the night prayers, they decided to sleep in the church. However, shortly after sleeping, people armed with pangas raided the church and started randomly hacking members of the congregation. One died on the spot, while others are nursing grave injuries. Others fled the church to save their lives.’’

The man who died was Lias Mugume, who had been leading overnight prayers for the congregation, ICC said. The injured were taken to the hospital for treatment of machete-inflicted wounds.

While a motive for the attack has not yet been established, local church leaders have told ICC that tension between local Christians and Muslims has been building up, and that this could have been an act of terrorism.

In a statement about the attack, the church district overseer told ICC: “It is an evil from the pits of hell to shed blood of innocent people inside a church. We urge the security arms of the government, with the support of the community, to bring to book those culprits. We are also praying for the family of our member who lost his life, as we plan on a rededication of the church since we believe it was defiled by the murder that took place inside.”