The Sudan Council of Churches has called on the warring parties in the current conflict in Sudan to halt the war and pave the way for a lasting peace in the country.
Abdullah Sardar, the Secretary-General of the Sudanese Council of Churches, stated, “We call on the warring parties to respect international laws and work to stop the war and enhance peace.”
He was speaking on Wednesday during a workshop held in Port Sudan on the theme, “The Sudanese Church and Current Challenges.”
Sardar said the war had affected many churches in Sudan, in addition to forcing thousands of civilians to seek refuge in church compounds.
He added that some 153 churches had been attacked during the war, 17 of them having been destroyed, and more than 3,000 worshippers assaulted during worship.
During the workshop, the council declared its readiness to work with all parties to pursue peace and reconciliation in Sudan. These, it added, should include all groups of the Sudanese people, especially the movements that have not signed a peace agreement with the government in the country.
The workshop also called on the international community and the Christian community worldwide to help stop the war in Sudan.
Participants urged for a Sudanese-Sudanese dialogue forum to address the current crisis, emphasizing the necessity of releasing women and girls abducted by the suspected RSF soldiers.
Human rights reports indicate that many places of worship in Sudan have been destroyed during military confrontations in Sudan since April 15 last year.
Sardar confirmed that the estimated cost of rebuilding the destroyed churches is around $9 million, with partially destroyed churches requiring approximately $100,000 for reconstruction.
The Sudanese Council of Churches condemned the violations that targeted places of worship since the outbreak of the war on April 15, 2023.
The war in Sudan between its armed forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has devastated the country’s infrastructure, prompted warnings of famine and displaced millions of people inside and outside the country.