Courtesy Crethi Plethi, Flickr
...A power vacuum was created in Libya with the fall of dictator Muammar Ghadaffi. No one group has the strength to impose its authority, restore the rule of law, and control the country’s borders. Fuentes explains, “It created the perfect breeding ground for a rising up, for those who have sworn allegiance to the Islamic State, and it’s created a hotbed for terrorists to attack and kidnap innocent people.”
Libya is currently split, politically, between two governments and geographically, among many armies, militias, tribes, and mercenaries. The situation has been worsened by the arrival of Islamic State in the country, with its own particularly violent agenda and objectives. “Libya is difficult for anyone who lives there, but Christians are especially targeted and face intense persecution,” says Fuentes, adding that because Christians are exactly opposite of ISIS’ stated goals, “They want to eliminate Christianity from the region, and they’re going as far as kidnapping other people en route from other countries.” Now that the Islamic extremists have focused on this objective, the national believers are leaving. “There are very few Christians left. There are approximately 6 million people in Libya and 35,000 Christians. A lot of them are ex-pats and are targeted...”
Libya is currently split, politically, between two governments and geographically, among many armies, militias, tribes, and mercenaries. The situation has been worsened by the arrival of Islamic State in the country, with its own particularly violent agenda and objectives. “Libya is difficult for anyone who lives there, but Christians are especially targeted and face intense persecution,” says Fuentes, adding that because Christians are exactly opposite of ISIS’ stated goals, “They want to eliminate Christianity from the region, and they’re going as far as kidnapping other people en route from other countries.” Now that the Islamic extremists have focused on this objective, the national believers are leaving. “There are very few Christians left. There are approximately 6 million people in Libya and 35,000 Christians. A lot of them are ex-pats and are targeted...”
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