Over two hundred Christian Eritrean evangelicals and members of minority churches have been captured and detained, according to Release Eritrea.

The operation which was carried out by Eritrean security forces is said to have been the worst of its kind thus far, with having been detained without their whereabouts being known.

Email sources indicated that the development project of Kalehiwet Church has been shut down, according to Release Eritrea. The development project is responsible for projects across the country with emergency aid and feeding programmes. But it was forcibly shut by Eritrean security forces on 3 October.

The whole team of staff, including all administrative staff, drivers and secretaries, have all been detained for the past week. The general secretary of the project Mr Ukbay, his administrator Mr Ghebre Michael and many others have been detained.

The safety of those detained is the main concern of those who contacted Release Eritrea. But the well-being of the families which have been left behind is one of the rising concerns.

“Please remember that in many homes children and women are suffering and have also becomes victims of persecution. There will be no salary coming into many homes and their lives are in danger. Please pray for us”, one source said.

The entire nation is being affected by the rising religious persecution in Eritrea. The Patriarch of the Eritrean Orthodox Church and several priests have fallen prey to the religious persecution and three prominent priests have been detained for several months now and have no communication with the outside world.

Two weeks ago, Eritrea became the first country to have sanctions applied under US religious freedom law.