Church leaders and Christians in Sudan’s Nuba Mountains are facing a growing wave of killings, abductions and attacks as fighting between rival armed factions intensifies in the country’s South Kordofan state, Christian Daily International reported.
At least two church leaders have been killed in recent weeks, while two other Christian leaders were abducted and later released. Dozens of Christians were also reportedly kidnapped during attacks on church communities in the region, according to Open Doors.
Fresh concerns
The latest violence has raised fresh concerns about the safety of Christian communities in an area already caught between Sudan’s wider civil war, tribal tensions and fighting between factions of the Sudan People’s Liberation Army-North, or SPLA-N.
Pastor Adel Idris Jongool of the Episcopal Church of Sudan was shot after militants attacked the Dabbi area of Heiban District on July 24. He died from his wounds several days later.
Church sources told Morning Star News that members of a breakaway faction of the SPLA-N were responsible for the attack. The militants reportedly targeted church leaders and other civilians amid both tribal and religious tensions.
The attack came one day after six civilians were reportedly killed in the same area.
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EDITOR’S NOTE — This story was written by Vincent Matinde and originally published by Christian Daily International.
