Mob in Pakistan burns Christian churches, homes

A Muslim mob destroyed Christian churches and homes after rumors that two Christian men desecrated a Quran, Pakistani police said Thursday. Police estimate about 6,000 people participated in the riots, which destroyed a dozen churches and nearly two dozen private homes. Video footage shows rioters destroying buildings with sledgehammers and setting them on fire with gasoline.

How are authorities handling the violence? Police arrested 129 people in connection to the violence and hope to identify more through video surveillance. Police also arrested the men suspected of defacing the Quran. U.S. State Department spokesman Vedant Patel said the United States is concerned about targeted violence against Christians and called on Pakistani authorities to thoroughly investigate the attacks.

Dig deeper: Read Mindy Belz’s report in WORLD Magazine about a Sri Lankan church that was bombed on Easter Day in 2019.