Photo: Flickr / David Stanley (cc)
The bishop of the El-Obeid diocese in Sudan recently suffered a harrowing ordeal at the hands of both members of the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and those of the opposing rebel Rapid Support Forces (RSF). On December 1st, Bishop Yunan Tombe Trille Kuku Andali reported that he was travelling with a deacon named Joseph. The ministry team had just arrived in El-Obeid when they were suddenly stopped and harassed by the SAF. The troops seized the small sum of money in U.S. dollars that the bishop was carrying, claiming that it was forbidden currency. During the robbery, the soldiers also physically harmed the two men.
Shortly after the December 1st incident, Bishop Tombe Trille and Deacon Joseph were accosted by RSF members who proceeded to severely beat the Christian leaders. The bishop believes that the rebels had intended to kill them, but one of the soldiers in the group eventually persuaded the others to stop the beating. When the assailants departed from the scene, the assaulted church leaders were left abandoned with serious head and neck injuries.
This is not the first time that Bishop Tombe Trille has been dangerously threatened. On April 20th, 2023, he and other members of the clergy narrowly escaped death when rockets hit the premises of his residence, destroying the main gate of the cathedral, as well as his home. Thankfully, no one was injured during that incident. Despite the threats against him, the bishop has been a vocal opponent of the ongoing civil conflict in Sudan, publicly urging both sides to lay down their weapons. For more reports addressing the violence perpetrated against Christians in Sudan, go to our country profile.
Please pray for the complete healing of Bishop Tombe Trille, Deacon Joseph, and their fellow clergy members, as they recover physically and/or emotionally from the attacks perpetrated against them. May these Christian leaders, and the many other believers in Sudan who are encountering harassment because of their faith, be divinely protected from any further threats against them. All the while, may they sense the Lord's reassuring presence. In general, pray that there would finally be an end to the long-term civil war in Sudan, so that lasting peace and harmony can be established throughout this African nation.
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