Sudan (MNN) — Neighboring countries and international bodies push for peace as chaos reigns in Sudan.
At least 512 people have been killed in nearly two weeks of conflict between the army and a rival paramilitary force. A 72-hour ceasefire expired last night as foreign nations rushed to evacuate their diplomats and citizens.
Tens of thousands of Sudanese nationals risked the perilous journey to “South Sudan, [or crossed into neighboring] Chad or Egypt,” Fadi Sharaiha with The MENA Leadership Center says.
“It’s a civil war,” he continues, asking believers in the West to pray for their Christian brothers and sisters in Sudan.
“The whole country is being affected, and Christians are part of the whole country. People are starving. We received reports saying, ‘We don’t have any food’; 70 percent of hospitals in Sudan are not working.”
As two generals and their forces fight to control the country, no one’s left to protect the citizens. Home invasions and looting are rampant. “Prisoners are fleeing the prisons; we have criminals all over,” Sharaiha says.
“The old regime is also outside the prison, which is a very bad indicator.”
Former Sudanese president Omar al-Bashir.
(Photo courtesy of Voice of the Martyrs USA)
Omar al-Bashir, Sudan’s former dictator toppled in 2019, was transferred to a military hospital with five former officials before the fighting started. Now, at least one former official is missing.
Sudan could go in one of two directions in the coming weeks, Sharaiha says.
“The best-case scenario is that both armies will have some kind of peace treaty and go back [to a] civil government rather than military government, and everybody will live happily ever after,” he explains.
“[The] worst-case scenario is they will continue fighting until they destroy both armies and the whole country.”
Now that you know, what will you do? “Pray, pray, pray,” Sharaiha requests.
“Please pray [that] no harm will happen to the Church and that the Church will take its responsibility as the light and salt for the nation [of] Sudan. Pray for the safety of the [Sudanese] people.”
Header image courtesy of The Voice of the Martyrs USA.
