In a January 2026 report, the International Institute for Religious Freedom (IIRF) detailed some of the world’s top perpetrators of violence against Christians across five continents.

The group, with the support of International Christian Concern (ICC), looked at violence toward Christ followers from July 2024 to June 2025 in Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, and South America. Militia groups, government actors, and criminal cartels were among those listed in the report.

Africa

In Africa, armed groups and militia rebels were the top victimizers of Christians. The Islamist militia in Mozambique was one such group named in the list.

Also known as ISIS-Mozambique, al-Shabab, and the Islamic State Mozambique Province (ISMP), these militia groups have viciously targeted Christ followers in Mozambique for years. In late September 2025, more than 30 Christians were beheaded by Islamist militants. According to Mission Network News, Floyd Brobbel of the Voice of the Martyrs Canada explained that the militants expressly targeted Christians for violence.

“These militants would often separate Christians from other villagers and begin persecuting them,” Brobbel stated. “So, this seems to be the case here, and they’re not shy about reporting what they’ve done. They’re claiming responsibility for these attacks.”

According to an April 2025 statement from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (DNI), the goal of Islamist militants in Mozambique is to ultimately install sharia law in the nation.

“ISIS-Mozambique … seeks to violently overthrow the Mozambican Government and expel foreign influences,” the DNI stated. “The branch demands governance by sharia and rejects secular education.”

Asia

In Asia, militant government groups, particularly in Myanmar, continue to target Christians. Buddhist nationalism and political unrest have contributed to Christ followers being attacked and killed in the nation. Executive director of the Chin Human Rights Organization, Salai Za Uk Ling, stated in 2025 that a rogue military in Myanmar has intentionally targeted Christians.

“Since the military coup in Burma four years ago, we have witnessed a systematic campaign of religious persecution, particularly targeting the Christian population in Chin state,” Ling stated. “These attacks are not collateral damage but part of a deliberate strategy to erase the religious and cultural identity of the Chin people as Christians.”

Europe

Persecutors in the European continent include the Russian government, the Russian military, and the Ukrainian military. Christ followers have been caught in the crosshairs of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, as stories of the Russian government mistreating Protestant Christians and Ukraine restricting the Ukrainian Orthodox Church have been reported.

The Commission of Security and Cooperation in Europe (CSCE) stated in July 2024 that Russian “authorities under orders from the Kremlin have been particularly harsh toward Protestant Christians and institutions, often painting them as agents of the United States.”

Conversely, the United Nations noted concerns about Ukraine’s treatment of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in an October 2025 report, as accounts of Ukraine restricting the church due to its perceived pro-Russia stance have been reported.

“We are concerned that the question of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church’s alleged ecclesiastical and canonical links with the Moscow Patriarchate…restricts the scope of freedom of worship and religious practice,” the report stated.

North America

Findings in the report noted that lone actors and one hate group, known as the Goyim Defence League, made up most of the attacks against Christians in North America.

In recent months, churches across the United States have been the targets of mass shootings, destruction of property, and arson. An alleged would-be assassin was stopped before harming anyone in Wayne, Michigan, in June 2025 at CrossPointe Community Church. The man was carrying multiple weapons and dozens of rounds of ammunition when he tried to enter the church. In a separate incident in August 2025, a shooter injured 21 people and killed two children at Annunciation Catholic Church and School in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

South America

In South America, criminal cartels and government actors played significant roles in persecuting Christians. Cartels and Christians often clash as Christ followers speak out against criminal activity. The same is true of the authoritarian governments in the region, specifically Nicaragua’s. As Christians speak against the nation’s treatment of its people, they’re targeted for retribution.

According to a report from the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), Nicaraguan authorities routinely harass religious institutions and individuals who are viewed as a threat to their power.

“As part of its effort to maintain a stranglehold on power, the Ortega-Murillo regime has used repressive laws on cybercrime, money laundering, registration requirements for not-for-profit organizations, and sovereignty to provide legal pretext for the government’s particularly severe religious freedom violations,” the report stated.

Hundreds of millions of Christians are persecuted around the world each year. Believers endure attacks, arrests, and even death, simply for following Jesus. Many of their stories are made public; however, the true number of the persecuted is unknown, as untold masses of individuals don’t report mistreatment for fear of violence.

This article was originally published at persecution.org and reprinted with permission.

Founded in 1995, International Christian Concern (ICC) is a Christian organization. It’s an ecumenical, non-governmental, and non-partisan group focused on protecting the human rights of Christians and religious minorities.