Structures erected to temporarily replace three churches that fell victim to an arson attack have been burned down by suspected Islamist militants.
On December 28, arsonists decimated places of worship belonging to the Sudan Interior Church, the Roman Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church. Less than three weeks later, the buildings installed in their place were also destroyed by fire.
“This incident is true, the three churches were set on fire twice in less than a month,” one local pastor told Morning Star News. He suspects that the Islamic community was feeling disgruntled by the presence of churches in the area — located near the border with South Sudan — and took the action to repel the Christian presence.
The Sudanese Minister of Religious Affairs Nasr al-Din Mufreh said that one suspect had been arrested, questions, and released due to lack of evidence. He insisted that if the fires “occurred as a result of a criminal offense” the criminals will be “identified, pursued and brought to justice.”
Open Doors USA lists Sudan as the seventh most dangerous country in which to live as a Christian, warning that “Christian converts with a Muslim background are particularly at risk.”
“A very high level of violence against Christians is evident, particularly in the Nuba Mountains, Darfur, South Kordofan and the Blue Nile State regions where Christians are targeted indiscriminately by government security forces,” reads the group’s factsheet.
Do pray for all those affected by this dreadful attack.