Southern Africa’s archbishop responds to extremist murders

By ACNS staff
Posted Dec 8, 2014

[Anglican Communion News Service] The Anglican Archbishop of Southern Africa has spoken of his distress at the news of the murder of two hostages by Al-Qaeda in Yemen.

South African teacher Pierre Korkie and U.K.-born U.S. journalist Luke Somers were killed on Saturday by the al-Qaeda militants during a failed rescue operation by joint U.S. and Yemeni special forces in the southern Shabwa region.

Primate of the Anglican Church of Southern Africa and Archbishop of Cape Town Thabo Makgoba Dec. 8 issued a statement:

“Sad and shocked at the death of Pierre Korkie, we in the Anglican Church sends our condolences to his wife, Yolande, and their family.

“As we mourn his death and that of Luke Somers, we call on all nations involved to expose those who maintain the extremism of groups such as Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula.

“We need to ask who benefits from their terror tactics and what is missing in our efforts to end such hostage-taking and killing. And we need also to address the grievances which fuel such extremism.

“May the hope of Advent prevail and surround the world.”


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