Sudan (MNN) — The World Health Organization issues a dire warning amid Sudan’s descent into chaos.
Technicians cannot access a laboratory seized by one of the warring parties to secure biohazardous materials, including measles and cholera samples.
“I don’t know if the probability of biological warfare is significant; that would depend on if anybody on either side of the fence understands how to utilize such things. But there’s a reasonable probability that things could be mishandled,” Arne* with unfoldingWord says.
“The larger risk is that care isn’t taken to secure what’s in the lab, and things can escape unintentionally and cause damage that way.”
Map of the 2023 Sudan clashes. Red represents territory controlled by government forces, green represents territory controlled by Rapid Support Forces.
(Wikimedia Commons)
The two generals fighting to control Sudan agreed on a three-day truce this week, giving thousands of foreigners and nationals a chance to escape. Among them are Sudanese Christians who partner with unfoldingWord.
Stuck in Khartoum
unfoldingWord is training Sudanese believers in the basics of sound Bible translation using Open Bible Stories. Once trained, believers can then help 130 unreached people groups translate the Bible accurately into their heart languages. More about that here.
Partners in Sudan sent the following update to “Arne” and his team earlier this week:
The recent fighting has trapped five translators who traveled to Khartoum for a Community Check of their recent translation. People are looting homes and businesses. Many are trapped in schools, churches, and homes without food or water. Medical care is almost impossible. The humanitarian crisis that already existed has been multiplied by a hundred. Please pray!
“The five-person team that went to Khartoum are Sudanese nationals. The fighting broke out right after they arrived” in the capital, Arne says.
“They’re trapped in Khartoum with everybody else. That’s [concerning] to us, and we’re trying to get them out.”
Pray for supernatural peace in Sudan. Pray fighting will end so that millions of people do not suffer.
“Pray that the team could make its way safely from Khartoum back into South Sudan,” Arne requests.
“Under good circumstances, it’s a four-day drive from Khartoum to the southern border. Under the present circumstances, it’s at least five [hours] with all the military checkpoints, and there’s danger from bandits and marauders.”
*Pseudonym
Header image is a representative stock photo courtesy of OpenClipart-Vectors/Pixabay.
