The acting head of the Protestant Church in Central Sulawesi, Indonesia, has been assassinated this week, 16th October. He was shot in the head on a street in Palu, the capital of Central Sulawesi, Indonesia - the same region where three Catholic Christians were recently executed.

The Reverend Irianto Kongkoli (40) was shopping with his wife when the gunman shot him in the back of his head and then fled on a motorcycle. He was rushed to the local hospital but the doctors were unable to save his life, report Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW).

The assassination follows the recent execution of Fabianus Tibo, Dominggus Da Silva and Marinus Riwa who were accused of masterminding the sectarian violence in Central Sulawesi and for leading a violent attack against an Islamic school in 2000. At their trial Muslim witnesses spoke out in their defence and both Muslim and Christian leaders called for a stay of execution and re-trial.