Muslim-Christian Battles Leave 11 Dead in Indonesian Province
New fighting between Muslims and Christians broke out in Indonesia’s Molucca Islands, formerly known as the Spice Islands, killing at least 11 people, officials and activists said Saturday.
The sectarian bloodshed Friday and Saturday brought the number of confirmed deaths to 19 last week. Sixteen people remain missing.
Three people were killed Saturday when Muslims attacked a Christian village on the island of Seram, witnesses said. Four churches and more than a dozen houses were torched in the raid.
Eight people were killed Friday when Muslims attacked Christian villages on the Watubela islands in southeastern Molucca, said a Muslim activist who identified himself as Kamal. About 4,000 people have died since January 1999, when violence first broke out.
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