By Jeremy Reynalds

Senior Correspondent for ASSIST News Service

LOVES PARK, ILLINOIS (ANS) -- There has been a suicide bombing attack in northern Kazakhstan - according to various media the first in the country's modern history.

Kazakhstan is a transcontinental country mostly located in Central Asia, with a relatively small portion in Eastern Europe.

According to a report from the Slavic Gospel association (SGA), while the bomber himself was killed, there were not mass casualties. Two were injured - a security guard and an officer of the Kazakhstan National Security Committee (KNB).

SGA said the attack took place in the city of Aktobe, capital of the Kazakh region of Aktuybinsk near the northern border with Russia. The bomber detonated the explosive after entering the KNB building in the city.

According to SGA, details are still sketchy, but Stratfor Intelligence reports there is some speculation that it could possibly have been a lone wolf operation. SGA said especially notable is the fact that the attack took place at the KNB, which is responsible for the country's internal security.

SGA said Kazakhstan thus far has not suffered the same kind of Islamist insurgency as have neighboring Uzbekistan and other Central Asian nations.

The organization commented, “We are praying to the Lord that this attack does not signal the beginning of a wave of more bombings.”

The group added in its news release, “We are awaiting word from our brothers and sisters in the Kazakh Union of Evangelical Christians-Baptists to get their perspective on what has taken place, given the historic nature of the attack ... please pray with us that God will protect his people in Kazakhstan, even using this as an opportunity for their testimony of Christ's love.”

Since 1934, SGA has been serving evangelical churches, helping make disciples of the people in the lands of Russia through prayer, strategic ministry and financial assistance.

For more information go to www.sga.org

Additional details on "Homeless in the City" are available at http://www.homelessinthecity.com. Reynalds lives in Albuquerque, New Mexico. For more information contact: Jeremy Reynalds at jeremyreynalds@comcast.net.

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