Pastor Killed as Violence Against Christians Escalates in Sudan’s Nuba Mountains

Nuba Mountains — southern Sudan, Andreas31, Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 | Jihad Watch

Church leaders in Sudan’s South Kordofan state have reported the killing of a pastor amid escalating violence in the Nuba Mountains, where ongoing armed conflict has increasingly affected Christian communities. According to local church sources, Pastor Adel Idris Jongool of the Episcopal Church of Sudan was abducted and killed on July 24 after armed militants entered the Dabbi area of Hiban County.

The attackers were identified as members of a breakaway faction of the Sudan People’s Liberation Army-North (SPLA-N), a rebel movement operating in the region. Church sources stated that the militants have been targeting pastors, church leaders, and civilians, with attacks reportedly driven by both tribal tensions and hostility toward Christians.

The killing came just a day after another assault in Heiban town on July 23, where several Christians were reportedly killed and additional church leaders were abducted. While the exact number of casualties has not been confirmed, the incidents have raised fresh concerns about the safety of religious communities in the conflict-affected region.

The Diocese of Heiban of the Episcopal Church of Sudan confirmed the attacks in an official statement. Bishop Al-Sir Hassan Kuku expressed deep sorrow over the death of Pastor Jongool and condemned the continued targeting of clergy and innocent civilians amid the ongoing unrest.

The recent violence follows another deadly incident on June 19, when a Catholic priest and one of his security guards were killed at Holy Cross Parish in Kauda, South Kordofan. Another guard survived after sustaining gunshot injuries and receiving medical treatment. Church leaders have linked both attacks to the same breakaway militant faction.

Although the Nuba Mountains had largely remained outside the main battlefield after Sudan’s civil war erupted in April 2023, the situation has deteriorated following the alliance between the SPLA-N and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) against the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF). The emergence of rival armed groups in the region has intensified clashes, leading to civilian deaths, displacement, and growing insecurity.

Christian communities have found themselves caught in the middle of the conflict. Reports indicate that both the RSF and the SAF have been accused of attacking displaced Christians while alleging that they support opposing armed factions. Despite public claims of supporting democracy and religious freedom, both sides have faced criticism over their treatment of religious minorities.

The deteriorating security situation has further highlighted the challenges facing Christians in Sudan. According to the 2026 World Watch List published by Open Doors, Sudan ranks fourth among the countries where Christians experience the highest levels of persecution. Although the country had shown signs of improvement in recent years, the ongoing conflict has once again placed religious minorities under severe pressure.

(This Article was originally published by Jihad Watch)