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Evangelical Christian Murdered by Sudanese Terrorists

by Karen Faulkner, Worthy News Correspondent

(Worthy News) – An evangelical Sudanese Christian died in Sudan earlier this month after being attacked by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), an Islamic paramilitary group which is fighting the Muslim Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) for control of the country, Morning Star News (MSN) reports.

Already torn by decades of war, political corruption and turmoil, and consequent humanitarian crises, Sudan was again plunged into conflict when fighting broke out between the rival leaders of the RSF and the SAF on April 15 last year. The two militias had worked together on a 2021 military coup of Sudan’s fledgling moderate government, but have since vied with each other for power. Their conflict soon spilled out onto the civilian population: more than 12,000 people have been killed and around 5.8 million have been displaced.

Karbino Bla, a member of the Sudan Presbyterian Evangelical Church (SPEC), was assaulted by RSF militants in Wad Medani, the capital of Sudan’s Al Jazirah state on Jan. 1: the militants had captured and occupied the city on Dec. 18, MSN reports. Bla succumbed to his wounds on Jan. 5, leaving a wife and a baby daughter.

While the reasons for the attack against Bla are not clear, the RSF are known for their violence, including massacring civilians and raping women and girls. Christian sites have also been specifically targeted by them, MSN reports. More than 165 churches have had to shut down, and others have been destroyed: on Jan. 12, the RSF set fire to a church building on fire in Wad Medani, and destroyed Bibles and hymn books among other property.

Sudan currently ranks 8th on the US Open Doors World Watch List 2023 of the top 50 countries where Christians are persecuted.