Syria’s violence surged after Assad government collapse.
Violence also drives historic score increases in sub-Saharan African countries Sudan and Mali. Nigeria remains global epicentre of deadly violence against Christians.
Syria (#6) has vaulted back into the World Watch List top 10 for the first time since 2017, recording one of the largest single-year score increases
in the list's history following the December 2024 fall of the Assad regime and the takeover by jihadist group Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS). There was cautious optimism that Syria's Christians might find respite under new leadership. Instead, we have witnessed
a devastating reversal - a suicide bomber targeting worshippers, churches desecrated, and believers forced into hiding.
This stark reality demands urgent attention: when state protection collapses and extremist ideology fills the void, religious minorities pay the price. The world cannot look away again."
Sub-Saharan Africa's persistent crisis
While Syria's situation is compelling, the scale of persecution across sub-Saharan Africa remains staggering. The 14 sub-Saharan countries on the World Watch List comprise more than 721 million people – nearly half of them Christian. One in every eight
Christians on earth lives in these 14 countries.
Violence scores across the region have surged dramatically. Ten years ago, the 12 sub-Saharan countries then on the list had a combined violence score representing 49 percent of maximum possible. In 2026, the 14 countries' combined violence score represents
88 percent of maximum.
Only three countries on the full list scored the maximum 16.7 for violence in 2026 – all of them sub-Saharan:
Sudan (#4),
Nigeria (#7),
and
Mali (#15).
Trump post on persecution in Nigeria
US President Donald Trump’s November 2025 statement of outrage about the substantial number of Nigerian Christians killed each year because of their faith drew global interest with media clamouring to understand persecution dynamics in the country.
Nigeria remains the global epicentre of deadly violence against Christians. Of 4,849 Christians killed worldwide for their faith during the reporting
period, 3,490 were Nigerian – an increase from 3,100 the previous year. In one June 2025 incident, Muslim Fulani militants attacked the Christian farming community of Yelwata in Benue state for four hours, shooting or burning to death 258 people, mostly
women and children.
The conflict in Nigeria is complex, but it cannot detract from intent. Recorded reports from victims quote their Fulani militant attackers saying: “We will destroy all Christians.” Christians kidnapped report their Boko Haram captors saying: If you were
Muslim, you would not be tortured like this.”
Sudan's civil war continued to drive Christians into displacement, with 9.6 million Sudanese now internally displaced. The country rose to 4th place
as both warring factions – the Army and Rapid Support Forces – targeted Christians while attempting to establish Islamic credentials.
The pattern persists across the region: weak governments create vacuums filled by Islamic militants operating with impunity in parts of
Burkina Faso (#16),
Mali,
Democratic Republic of Congo (#29),
Central African Republic (#22),
Somalia (#2),
Niger (#26) and
Mozambique
(#39).
Driven to Isolation
The 2026 World Watch List reveals
a troubling global pattern beyond physical violence: churches being driven underground by surveillance and heavy regulation.
Algeria's (#20) situation illustrates the trend. While its total score remained at 77 points, the composition shifted dramatically. All Protestant
churches have been forced to close, driving the violence score down but pushing Christians into isolation. Meanwhile, scores measuring pressure in community life and national life increased. Authorities shut down a Christian Facebook group with more
than 50,000 followers and blocked church activities. More than 75 percent of Algerian Christians have lost connection to fellowship.
The pattern extends to countries like
Tunisia (#31),
Mauritania (#21)
and
Vietnam, where tighter bureaucratic control, surveillance, and vague regulations are systematically isolating Christians from fellowship.
Some Positive Developments
Bangladesh (#24) experienced relative calm following August 2024's political upheaval, with its violence score dropping 20 percent. Interim government
leader Muhammad Yunus has made public statements about religious freedom's importance, though upcoming elections may test this commitment.
In
Malaysia, a court ordered the government to reopen investigation into Pastor Raymond Koh's 2017 kidnapping, ruling that police officials were involved and ordering compensation equivalent to US$7.4 million. Sri Lanka dropped 4 points
and four places to rank 65th, with improvements in government treatment of Christians reducing discriminatory practices and improving access to justice.
About the World Watch List
The
World Watch List is an annual ranking of the 50 countries where Christians face the most extreme persecution. The methodology measures violence against Christians and
pressure across six spheres of life: private life, family life, community life, national life, church life, and violence. Rankings are based on verified reports collected during a 12-month research period ending September 30, 2025.
