Terror in Ramadan A spate of deadly bombings by so-called Islamic State sent shockwaves as Muslims marked Ramadan, the month of fasting. Meanwhile, in the UK the 6 July publication of the Chilcot report was a timely reminder of how the West is no distant spectator of events unfolding in the Middle East. Actions taken or avoided in the UK […]
The Briefing – July 2016
Confronting child marriage in the Middle East and North Africa
“Because I am a Woman” looks at the situation of 1 in 5 women in the region When did you last spot a wedding party and stop a moment to gaze at the bride and groom in their joy and finery? But imagine your reaction if you saw that the bride marrying a husband in his 30s was just a […]
“I forgave Daesh”
Azraa from the Nineveh Valley in Iraq told SAT-7 how she and her family – like thousands threatened by the militants – had to flee to Iraqi Kurdistan. With tears welling up in her eyes, the young girl said: “We used to wonder why God did this to us and why we were forcibly displaced. Why did He allow this? […]
Live shows condemn attack on elderly Christian woman
A shocking incident in which a 70-year-old Christian woman was stripped naked and dragged through the streets of Upper Egypt was condemned on two topical SAT-7 programmes. Women’s chat show Needle and Thread and current affairs programme Bridges discussed the attack on the woman by a mob of around 300 armed men, who also vandalised and torched seven homes belonging […]
The cost of Answering the Cry – Farid Samir
Facing jail, trusting in God For Farid Samir, SAT-7’s Executive Director in Egypt, the cost of answering the cry has from time to time involved visits from the police department. But action by the censorship police last October was the most serious. SAT-7 equipment worth more than £65,000 was seized and Farid temporarily detained. He was left facing multiple investigations […]
Two Syrian refugees baptised at youth event in Turkey
A SAT-7 TÜRK film crew visited the first ever Christian youth event in Mardin, Turkey, at which two teenage Syrian refugees were baptised. More than 30 young Christians from across eastern Turkey gathered in the ancient city of Mardin, which is just 20 miles from the Syrian border, for the historic meeting. The three-day gathering included teaching, worship services and visits […]
SAT-7 programme helps refugee children to learn
As the number of people displaced by conflict reaches record levels, refugee children have told SAT-7 how our educational programme My School is helping them to continue learning while away from home. On World Refugee Day (20 June), the UN said it was the first time the number of refugees worldwide had passed the 60 million mark, with the highest […]
A golden opportunity for our churches
The heartfelt plea of a pastor in Lebanon The leader of a Lebanese church which has been sharing the love of Christ with refugees from Syria wrote this letter to churches in the West. Dear pastors in Europe, Greetings in Christ. We are at a very critical period of time concerning the refugees flooding into your countries. You have a […]
Syrian widows share struggles and faith
“In the midst of my grief You gave me joy” We have a principle not to bow down and weaken in front of difficult life challenges but to walk in God’s path, the path of peace and light.” Courageous widows in war-ravaged Aleppo have told of the daily struggle to raise their children alone, and shared how they are finding […]
The Briefing – June 2016
Even as the tide began to turn against so-called Islamic State, rival ambitions and visions made for fraught international relations in the region. News from the region In Syria last month so-called Islamic State (IS) came under intense pressure from all directions – from the US-led coalition, Kurdish forces, Syrian government troops and allies, the Iraqi army and shelling from […]