Muslims Risk Lives to Save Christians in Jihadist Attack on Bus

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MANDERA (ChurchMilitant.com) - An Islamic terrorist group attacked a bus in Kenya Monday, but the jihadists weren't able to target and kill the Christians because Muslims on the bus wouldn't help identify them.

The bus was on its way from Nairobi to Mandera, a small town in northwest Kenya, when it was ambushed by al-Shabaab, an al-Quaeda ally. The terrorists opened fire at one side of the bus, stopping it in its tracks.

Once the bus was stopped, about 10 gunmen boarded and commanded all Muslims to split from the Christians in order to single them out for death.

But the Muslims on board would do no such thing. Some of them had even given their Christian neighbors their religious attire so that the Christians would not be identified as non-Muslim.

The terrorists threatened to shoot everyone indiscriminately, but the group stuck together, and the attackers eventually left after hearing another bus.

According to Abdirashid Adan, who spoke to The Nation about the incident, in which he was one of three people injured, "We were forced to stop after they shot at our bus. One of the bullets injured me in the buttocks. We alighted but one person attempted to run away and was shot dead."

A total of two people were killed in the attack.

"As the attackers started separating passengers according to their religions, we heard the sound of an oncoming lorry," Adan added. "They all ran back into the bush thinking it was police. After realizing it was not police, they stopped the lorry as we dashed back into the bus and sped off."

"We stuck together tightly," recalled Abdi Mohamud Abdi, another Muslim passenger, who spoke to Reuters. "The militants threatened to shoot us but we still refused and protected our brothers and sisters. Finally they gave up and left but warned that they would be back."

Bishop Joseph Alessandro of Garissa told Fides News Agency, "The Shabaab now know that they do not have the support of the Muslim community."

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