Explosive Attacks Hit 3 Houses Of Worship
Three churches in El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur in Sudan, were bombed during two separate assaults by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group engaged in an ongoing civil conflict. The Sudanese Episcopal Church, the African Inland Church, and the Roman Catholic Church were all targeted in attacks on June 9 and 11. According to Christian Solidarity Worldwide, at least five people were killed, and numerous others were injured. Among those who died was Fr. Luka Jomo, the Roman Catholic parish priest, who succumbed to his injuries on June 12.
El Fasher remains the last major city in Darfur not under RSF control and has been under siege since April 2024. The RSF has reportedly been using places of worship as military installations while conducting ethnically driven violence against non-Arab Christians. Despite a United Nations Security Council resolution calling for the siege to end, the RSF has not withdrawn from the city.
In addition to church bombings, the RSF has taken over large displacement camps, such as Abu Souk and Zamzam, turning them into military bases. The conflict between the RSF and the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), which began in April 2023, has led to widespread destruction and the targeting of religious sites by both sides. In one notable incident, a December 2024 airstrike by the SAF hit a church in Khartoum, resulting in the deaths of 11 people, including eight children.
Christian Solidarity Worldwide and other advocacy groups have condemned both the RSF and SAF for serious violations of human rights. They emphasize that churches often serve as sanctuaries for displaced civilians and have urged the international community to intervene to protect vulnerable populations. The U.S. government has formally accused the RSF of committing acts of genocide, citing systematic killings and sexual violence against ethnic groups.
The humanitarian crisis resulting from the civil war continues to worsen. According to UNICEF, approximately 15 million children in Sudan require urgent aid, with 4 million suffering from acute malnutrition. Additionally, an estimated 17 million children are currently out of school, and thousands have either gone missing or been killed since the conflict began.