Indonesia: One dead and three churches destroyed after religious clashes

Three churches were attacked and at least one person was killed in Aceh, Indonesia on Tuesday, as religious tensions rise.

Hundreds of Muslim men attacked two churches and set them on fire, before attacking a third church, where a man was killed in clashes with Christians defending the building and police.

The attacks follow a protest last week, where a group calling themselves "Aceh Youth Concerned For Islam" demanded that churches, which they claimed were unlicensed, were torn down.

The local government had agreed to respond to their demands, but not quickly enough, and on Tuesday the group acted themselves.

"After burning the church, the mob tried to attack another church, but it turned out Christians were already at the ready," Aceh police chief Husein Hamidi told AFP.

"A clash occurred, and one man was killed after being shot in the head with an air rifle," he said.

The man that was killed was reportedly from the attacking group. Four others were injured, including one member of the police.

Religious tension has been building in Aceh, the only province in Indonesia where Sharia Law has been officially introduced and is increasingly being imposed upon non-Muslims.

related articles
Indonesia: Two women arrested after hugging in public
Indonesia: Two women arrested after hugging in public

Indonesia: Two women arrested after hugging in public

Pakistan: Christian head teacher beaten by Muslim co-workers
Pakistan: Christian head teacher beaten by Muslim co-workers

Pakistan: Christian head teacher beaten by Muslim co-workers

Could you declare your faith to a Christian-killing gunman?
Could you declare your faith to a Christian-killing gunman?

Could you declare your faith to a Christian-killing gunman?

70 years of oppression: Why it\'s still so dangerous to be a Christian in North Korea
70 years of oppression: Why it's still so dangerous to be a Christian in North Korea

70 years of oppression: Why it's still so dangerous to be a Christian in North Korea

Pakistan: Christian family accused of blasphemy and attacked for drinking from mosque tap
Pakistan: Christian family accused of blasphemy and attacked for drinking from mosque tap

Pakistan: Christian family accused of blasphemy and attacked for drinking from mosque tap

\'Convert or die, the caliphate is here\': \'ISIS\' message to Assyrian Christians in Sweden
'Convert or die, the caliphate is here': 'ISIS' message to Assyrian Christians in Sweden

'Convert or die, the caliphate is here': 'ISIS' message to Assyrian Christians in Sweden

News
Richard Moth appointed as new Archbishop of Westminster
Richard Moth appointed as new Archbishop of Westminster

Bishop Richard Moth has been confirmed as the new Archbishop of Westminster, the most senior post in the Catholic Church in England and Wales. 

The mystery of the Wise Men
The mystery of the Wise Men

The carol assures us that “We three kings of Orient are…” and tells us they were “following yonder star”. Can we be sure there were three of them? Were they kings? Where in the Orient were they from? What was the star they followed? In fact, there is a lot that we just do not know. This is the story …

English Heritage deletes debunked claims about pagan origins of Christmas Day
English Heritage deletes debunked claims about pagan origins of Christmas Day

English Heritage has admitted it got it wrong when it shared false claims that the date of Christmas is derived from a pagan Roman festival in honour of a sun god.

Guinness Book of Records recognises 'the world’s longest serving Sunday School teacher'
Guinness Book of Records recognises 'the world’s longest serving Sunday School teacher'

Pam Knowles started helping out her church Sunday school in 1951 at the age of 13.