PRAY FOR SOMALIA
– That believers who risk everything to follow Jesus will be strengthened.
– For protection for Christians who are at risk from Islamic extremists.
– That isolated believers will have opportunities for fellowship.
WORLD WATCH LIST
Somalia
#2If discovered, believers risk being killed on the spot by Islamic extremists.
bottom“I decided 100 times to leave Jesus and not to follow Him—but I couldn’t do it. I decided to follow Him."
– Ayesha
Country
Profile
- Region
- Africa
- Sources of persecution
- Islamic Oppression
- Population
- 17,339,000
- Christian population
- Hundreds
- Religions
- Islam
- Leader
- Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre
- Score
- 93
What’s Life Like For Christians?
The dangers of being a Christian in Somalia are extreme. Most, if not all, are converts from Muslim backgrounds, making them a high-value target for al-Shabaab, an extremist group that has repeatedly expressed its desire to eradicate Christians from the country. If discovered, believers could be killed on the spot.
In the last year, al-Shabaab has persistently carried out its operations despite government efforts to reclaim territories from the group. Ongoing violence and attacks targeting Christians have led to many believers fleeing for their lives, with some even opting to leave the country altogether.
Somali society is overwhelmingly conservative, and leaving Islam is regarded in many places as a betrayal of the Somali culture and clan. Christian converts face intense pressure from their family and local community, which can lead to harassment, intimidation, and even death. Just being suspected of converting from Islam to Christianity can result in life-threatening danger for believers.
Church life in Somalia is non-existent, and in recent years, the dangers facing Christians appear to have worsened as Islamic extremists have intensified their hunt for Christian leaders. Attempts to establish or re-open churches have been met with fierce resistance.
Who Is Most Vulnerable To Persecution?
No area is safe for Christians in Somalia. However, the most dangerous places are the areas under the control of al-Shabaab, particularly in the south and southwest.
Since Somali culture is primarily clan-based and almost exclusively Muslim, women have little leeway for personal belief or expression. Those who are suspected of converting to Christianity will commonly be humiliated in public, kept under strict house arrest, abused, abducted, forcibly married to a Muslim, or even killed.
What Does Open Doors Do To Help?
Open Doors supports Somali believers across the Horn of Africa through discipleship training, trauma care, and emergency relief.
Helping Christians cope with the severe persecution they face.
