In Depth:  Sudan

Luke Randall

There is mixed news for Christians in Sudan as war continues to rage, with “relative calm” in the north, a “deteriorating” situation in the Nuba Mountains, and concern surrounding government tactics.

The brutal civil war between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), the country’s official military, and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group formed by a previous dictatorship, started just over three years ago. It continues with little sign of resolution, and Christians often find themselves caught in the crossfire of one of the world’s major humanitarian crises.

Luke Randall

A senior Sudanese church leader says his country’s people believe they “know how to die, but don’t know how to live,” in an exclusive interview with en.

Rafat Samir, Chairman of the Sudan Evangelical Community Council, spoke about the continuing conflict and the impact it is having on Sudan’s roughly 2 million Christians. The war has entered its third year. Having displaced over 11 million citizens and decimated national infrastructure, it shows no signs of ending anytime soon.

Luke Randall

Christians in Sudan face continued targeting and are victims of “heinous crimes” amidst the ongoing civil war in Sudan which shows no signs of easing any time soon.

Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) workers with contacts on the ground in the country which is being torn apart by civil war, told en that they “reject any suggestion that the conflict shows signs of abating,” and revealed that Christians have been targeted by both warring parties since the conflict began.

Sudan’s two million Christians fear for the future of their country, according to a spokesperson for the charity Open Doors.

‘Church leaders I am speaking to are urging everyone to pray,’ says Fikiru Mehari, an Open Doors researcher for the East Africa region. ‘Many fear Sudan is vulnerable to collapse. From this chaos, Islamist extremists could rise and impose harsh Sharia law. This would prove deadly for Christians.’