Islamists attack churches in the Philippines. The Islamic State admitted, among other things, to planting a bomb on the university campus in Marawi.
At the beginning of Advent, the nightmare of Filipino Christians returned: attacks on churches and meeting places. Islamic State has claimed responsibility for planting a bomb on a university campus in Marawi while celebrating Sunday Mass. Four people were killed and about 50 students and teachers participating in the liturgy were injured.
Attack on the university
Marawi, located on the island of Mindanao, is the largest Muslim city in the Philippines. In 2017, it was the scene of a five-month battle between government forces and fighters linked to Islamic State. Now fears have returned that this scenario will repeat itself.
The authorities of the state university where the attack took place strongly condemned the use of force and expressed solidarity with the local Christian community and all people affected by this tragedy. The president of the Philippines spoke harshly about a new attack on Christians in the country, calling it “senseless and large-scale actions by foreign terrorists.” He thus suggested cooperation in the attack between local Islamic fighters and fundamentalists of the so-called Islamic State. , which is trying to move its troops from the Middle East to Asia. The latest attack may also be related to the current conflict in the Gaza Strip.
Islamists have been seeking to create an autonomous Muslim region of Bangsamoro in Mindanao for years. This has already cost the lives of thousands of people and has had a negative impact on cooperation with local Christians, who regularly fall victim to discrimination on this Philippine island.
The Pope condemns the attack
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. condemned the attack. and Catholic bishops. “Extremists who use violence against innocent people will always be considered enemies of our society,” Marcos emphasized on the X platform, calling “foreign terrorists.” Pope Francis assured his closeness to the victims of the terrorist attack during the Angelus prayer on December 3.
The president of the Episcopal Conference of the Philippines, Bishop Pablo Virgilio David, regretted that the perpetrators chose the exact moment to detonate the bomb as Catholics welcomed Advent, the start of the new church year. “However, every peace-loving citizen must refrain from seeking revenge,” the bishop said.
Source: Do Rzeczy
Roy Brown is a renowned economist and author at The Nation View. He has a deep understanding of the global economy and its intricacies. He writes about a wide range of economic topics, including monetary policy, fiscal policy, international trade, and labor markets.
