Unidentified arsonists raze Evangelical Presbyterian Church in Wad Madani

January 12, 2024 (WAD MADANI) – The main headquarters of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church in Wad Medani, the capital of Al Jazirah State, was intentionally set ablaze, causing extensive damage to the building and destroying official documents.

Church leaders have held the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) morally and legally responsible for the incident, citing their control over the city.

Rev. Youssif Matar, Secretary-General of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church, told Sudan Tribune, “We were informed that parties deliberately burned the church located in the first section neighbourhood in the middle of Wad Madani, causing severe damage.”

Matar explained that the fire, based on the information gathered, was deliberate and aimed to destroy the Christian community’s religious facilities and obliterate the church’s history, which spans over a century. The flames consumed the main library, housing historical documents, and ravaged the grand hall.

He did not rule out the possibility that this incident was an attempt to sow seeds of religious hatred and incite sectarian strife.

While Pastor Matar refrained from directly implicating the RSF in the incident, he expressed concern that “Islamic extremists or extremists within the Rapid Support Forces may be behind the incident.”

He emphasized the RSF’s “moral and criminal responsibility for the incident” owing to their absolute control over the area, stating that no unauthorized party could have entered the church headquarters without their knowledge.

On May 14, 2023, gunmen wearing RSF uniforms attacked the Mar Girgis (St. George) Church in Khartoum, one of the oldest Coptic churches in Sudan. They threatened the workers to reveal the whereabouts of money and gold, shot three individuals, and beat the bishop’s assistant with sticks, causing fractures.

The RSF has maintained control of Al-Jazirah State, with its capital Wad Madani, since December 18, 2023, following the sudden withdrawal of the army from its positions.

This takeover has been accompanied by widespread abuses affecting thousands of civilians, including killings, arrests, forced displacement, the looting of private vehicles, and the plundering of government institutions.

(ST)