GAO, Mali (AP) – As the sun starts to fall, the call to prayer at the mosque echoes throughout Gao, a predominantly Muslim town in northern Mali. At that same moment, a small church bell nearby also rings.
It’s a reminder that even in a town where just four years ago strict Islamic law was in force, some Christians have returned to rebuild their congregation, which fled the jihadist occupation.
This is the first Christmas they’ve been able to hold a service at the Catholic church, which was torched in 2012 by the al-Qaida-linked militants who took over the major towns in northern Mali that year.
Yet even as they celebrate, the fear of persecution is still widespread. Police stood by to protect the church as worshippers met Saturday and they returned again Sunday for the morning service. In a sign of the dangers that lurk, a Swiss aid worker was abducted from her home by armed men on Christmas Eve.
The turnout this year at the Saturday night service was only several dozen people. In total, there are now about 125 to 150 Christians who have come back – though that is still only half of what the population once was, says Philippe Omore, president of the Christian community in Gao.