The ongoing civil war has driven Christians in Sudan to live in silence and fear.
bottom“I have lost all my possessions. My house is burnt and everything we had is completely gone. Even the church is burnt and everything in it.”
– Church leader
Christians in Sudan are going through a severe, growing crisis and population displacement. This stems from the 2021 military takeover and the brutal civil war that started in 2023. The government reinstated oppressive figures, brought back cruel “morality policies”, and is using old Islamic laws to justify forcing people to convert or endure physical punishment. This has completely undone the advances in religious freedom made after the oppressive al-Bashir regime was overthrown in 2021.
The civil war has created a lawless vacuum where militias linked to both sides feel emboldened to persecute Christians with impunity. Attacks were common in rural areas but now take place in urban areas, too. Military leaders have escalated violence against Christians by painting believers as Western agents in a growing anti-Western rhetoric. Organised crime is increasing in lawless zones, where Christians are frequently targeted with extortion and violence.
Many church buildings have been bombed, taken over, and used as bases by militias and radical groups. Christians face intense discrimination everywhere—in courts, the workplace, and schools. Converts from Islam live in constant fear and face extreme threats including social isolation, violence from militia, and rejection from their families.
Converts to Christianity from Muslim backgrounds are most vulnerable, though all Christians face discrimination, including expatriate believers and historical Christian communities. Converts face the most intense pressure and violence, enduring threats and danger from both government forces and rival military groups, their communities, and families.
– That God protects believers forced to flee the war or who have no choice but to stay.
– For the future of the church in Sudan and wisdom for her leaders.
– For God to bring about a peaceful resolution and help the Church to be peacemakers in this war.
Open Doors’ vision for Sudan is to see a resilient Church that stands strong in the face of persecution and is economically empowered to support itself. We provide persecution-preparedness programmes, discipleship training, and facilitate economic empowerment.
