Seven Christian men were left dead after a killing spree by radical Islamist militants in several villages in eastern Kenya earlier this month.
Radical Islamist militants belonging to a group called al-Shabaab carried out a string of attacks in Lamu County, in the east of the country between July 5 and July 8, according to International Christian Concern.
In addition to the Christian victims, ICC said three police officers were killed in the raids of three separate villages.
The police officers were killed during the raid on Pandanguo village on July 5, where ICC says 200 militants rampaged looting homes and the local dispensary as well as the police station where the officers were based.
Then on July 8, some of the militants attacked the neighboring villages of Jima and Poromoko where witnesses said they went door to door. It was in these villages that the seven Christian men were killed.
ICC said Christian families from the villages have been evacuated to a church in Witu town for their protection. Pastor Henry Divayo said there were more than 200 people receiving care in his church but he expected the number to increase as more areas are evacuated after the spree of violence.
He said Christians, especially Christian farmers, living in Lamu County have been specifically targeted by al-Shabaab group.
The militants 'were asking the villagers to produce their identification cards and if you were found to be a Christian you would be shot or slaughtered,' he said.
He said the attacks highlighted a need for more police officers to be stationed at churches, schools and hospitals.
'The government has been in the forefront in giving security to churches but a lot more needs to be done,' said Pastor Divayo.
al-Shabaab is actually a Somalia-based group but ICC said it has been targeting Christians over the border in Kenya in retaliation for the Kenyan government's attempts to end its reign of terror.
On April 2, 2015, 148 Christian students were killed in a terrible attack on Garrisa University. More recently, the terror group killed 48 in Mpeketoni, Lamu County. According to ICC, it killed those who were not able to recite verses from the Quran.
ICC's regional manager for Africa, Nathan Johnson, pleaded with the Kenyan government to get a grip on the situation along the border where al-Shabaab is 'thriving.'
'We hope that Kenya's government can take effective action to rid Kenya of these terrorist actions,' he said.
