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The situation for Christians in Sudan has long been difficult, but right now the Christian community in Sudan is currently going through a severe, growing crisis and population displacement. This reality stems from the 2021 military takeover and the brutal civil war that started in 2023. The government reinstated oppressive figures, brought back cruel ‘morality policies’, and is using old Islamic laws to justify forcing people to convert or endure physical punishment. This has completely undone the advances in religious freedom made after the oppressive al-Bashir regime was overthrown in 2021.
Many church buildings have been bombed, taken over and used as bases by militias and radical groups. Christians face intense discrimination everywhere – in courts, the workplace and schools.
Converts from Islam live in constant fear and face intense threats, including social isolation, violence from militias and rejection from their families. Historical Christian communities suffer forced church closures, church-registration denials and even destruction of their buildings. Faith leaders and expatriates increasingly experience arbitrary arrest and detention due to the ongoing conflict.
Converts to Christianity from Muslim backgrounds are most vulnerable, though all Christians face discrimination, including expatriate believers and historical Christian communities. Converts face the most intense pressure and violence, enduring threats and danger from both government forces and rival military groups, their communities and families.
"People are extremely traumatized, and this impacts our witness. Pray for Christians to receive emotional and spiritual healing from what they have seen in the war. It’s not just our buildings that have been broken down, but also our people."
Rafat Samir, a Sudanese church leader and chairman of the Evangelical Community Council for Sudan.
Sudan rose one position on the World Watch List. Christians in Sudan live in silence and increasing fear, largely due to the ongoing civil war. By March 2025, the US Commission on International Religious Freedom reported that Sudan's civil war was ‘particularly impacting vulnerable religious populations’. There were increased forced conversions to Islam and physical punishment for refusal to convert. The civil war has created a lawless vacuum where militias linked to both sides feel emboldened to persecute Christians without fear of repercussion. Attacks were common in rural areas but are now also taking place in urban areas with more established churches. Military leaders have increased the violence against Christians by painting believers as Western agents amid anti-Western rhetoric. Organised crime is increasing in lawless zones, where Christians are frequently targeted for extortion and violence.
Open Doors’ vision for Sudan is to see a resilient church that stands strong in the face of persecution and is economically empowered to support itself. It supports by providing persecution-preparedness programmes, enhancing discipleship, and by facilitating economic empowerment.
(Please note that while we are planning for our work to continue as intended, during the current security challenges, emergency response to help Christians survive has had to take priority over all other work.)
Lord Jesus, we pray for Your peace to rain down on Sudan. We pray for the future of Your church, that it may continue to be salt and light in their dark country. Please protect our brothers and sisters there and provide all they need during this incredibly difficult time. We pray that Christians will not be seen as a threat by society and warring factions, but as a blessing in their communities. Amen.
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