Over 100 Christian and humanitarian groups, including Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW), are urging world leaders to establish safe passage and evacuation routes for those under siege in Sudan.

More than 260,000 civilians remain trapped in El Fasher amid heavy shelling and mass killings, with churches reportedly occupied by fighters.

El Fasher has been under siege for 17 months, with aid blocked and civilians facing starvation, disease, and what one local group described as “an open morgue” due to ongoing attacks.

The civil war in Sudan has been ongoing since April 2023. The conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has displaced more than 12 million people, including many Christians.

Sarah from CSW told Premier Christian News that the situation in the city is desperate: “The vast majority of those who could get out safely have managed to leave, and those who are left behind are facing starvation. They are the weak, elderly, young children, and people who have not been able to leave the city.

“We are particularly alarmed at the targeting of civilians in El Fasher. We want safe evacuation corridors so that those who wish to leave are able to have a patrolled, controlled exit from the city.”

CSW is calling on the international community, the United Nations, and those who have leverage with both the Sudanese Armed Forces and the RSF to push for an end to the fighting.

Sarah said it is a particularly difficult time for Christians in Sudan, with many facing discrimination. She is urging Christians to pray for “our brothers and sisters in Sudan” and to write to MPs to “ensure that governments like the UK are providing the aid that has been pledged and that humanitarian assistance is reaching all communities that are vulnerable and in need.”