Source: www.persecution.org
Date: June 21, 2023
Sudan (International Christian Concern) ––Conflict resumed in Sudan again after the new 72-hour ceasefire brokered by the U.S. and Saudi governments expired on Wednesday morning local time. Engagements occurred in Khartoum and Omdurman, according to the Associated Press. The ongoing conflict broke out in mid-April 2023 between rival factions within the military, leading to thousands of civilian casualties and more than 2.5 million displaced persons within Sudan and internationally, according to the UN.
This development comes as several international governments pledged approximately $1.5 billion in humanitarian aid for Sudan at a recent donor conference hosted by Egypt, Germany, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UN. The humanitarian situation in Sudan requires approximately $3 billion in aid this year, according to UN estimates. Calls for increasing aid come as the UN aid budget had already reached record highs of more than $51.5 billion before the Sudan conflict, according to Reuters. The UN Secretary-General recently raised concerns about potential human rights violations in the Darfur region in western Sudan.
International Christian Concern (ICC) reported on the previous ceasefire and raised concerns about the plight of the church in Sudan. As the conflict languishes, the approximately two million Sudanese Christians face an increased threat of persecution amid severe economic hardships.
HOW TO PRAY: Pray for this conflict to end quickly and peacefully. Pray for protection for those caught in the crossfire. Pray for the gospel to spread within the region.