The devastating conflict in Sudan shows no sign of abating, as a series of violent attacks continue to target civilians and places of worship across the country.
At least seven people were killed in a Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) airstrike on the Sheikh Elsidiq Mosque in Shambat, Khartoum North, following Friday prayers on 4th December.
Many others are believed to have suffered serious injuries in the attack.
This recent airstrike is part of a troubling pattern of attacks on religious sites in Sudan, where the war between the SAF and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has been raging since 15 April 2023.
The SAF bombed the largest church in Omdurman in November 2023, while the RSF has repeatedly targeted churches as well.
In March 2024, an Islamist militia affiliated with the SAF detonated explosives inside a mosque in Omdurman, adding to the growing number of assaults on religious spaces.
On 20th October 2024, the SAF dropped barrel bombs on the Sheikh El Jeili Mosque in Wad Madani, Gezira State, after evening prayers, killing at least 15 people and injuring more than 30.
Another attack on 9 December saw SAF warplanes kill at least 80 people in Kabkabiya, North Darfur.
In addition to these bombings, the RSF continues its relentless shelling campaign in North Omdurman, a region that had been one of the few remaining safe havens for civilians fleeing the conflict.
On 10th December alone, at least 70 people were killed in separate shelling incidents.
Furthermore, in November, the RSF burned approximately 3,000 houses across 18 villages in Kutom, North Darfur.
Mervyn Thomas, Founder President of Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW), condemned these attacks, emphasising the systematic targeting of civilians. "These recent attacks by the SAF and RSF show how both forces continue to intentionally and systematically target civilians," he said.
"Attacks on places of worship, where civilians gather to seek refuge, constitute severe breaches of international humanitarian and human rights law and must be documented thoroughly by international bodies, including the UN Fact-Finding Mission on Sudan."