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.
The war has killed and displaced thousands and many war crimes have been committed. While they are not always directly targeted, Christians have often been subject to persecution, alongside several other minorities.
Asked for an update on the war’s impact on Christians, Christian Solidarity Worldwide’s (CSW) Sudan consultant Mohaned El Nour told en of the mixed news across the nation, firstly revealing that the situation is “relatively calm” in northern states, where many churches remain closed, particularly in the nation’s capital Khartoum, after being “intentionally bombed”. He revealed that large crowds welcomed two bishops back to the city after spending three years in Egypt in a moment of “political significance”.
However, the humanitarian situation is “deteriorating” in the Nuba Mountains, where many Christians live, and many churches are seeking support, while CSW has lost contact with its sources in Darfur.
Furthermore, concerns are rising following an apparent rise in “extremism” in Sudan. El Nour revealed that the nation’s state department recently designated the Sudanese Muslim Brotherhood and the jihadist al-Baraa Bin Malik Brigade (BBMB) as terrorists, suggesting that the nation’s de facto government is “distancing itself” from such factions. However, he is concerned that such designations could incite further discrimination, “which will undoubtedly harm Christians”.
El Nour detailed his concerns surrounding government tactics: “[It] is using the same tactic that Bashir’s [previous] regime used to control and destroy churches and their properties. In particular, the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Endowments has renewed its strategy of appointing government-controlled committees to oversee the affairs of churches in the country, including the Evangelical Church and the Sudanese Church of Christ. In the past these illegitimate committees have sold significant portions of church properties.”
