Three churches in the city of El Fasher, in North Darfur, were struck in deadly attacks by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) earlier this month amid Sudan’s worsening civil war.

The RSF launched two bombing attacks on Christian churches on June 9 and June 11, 2025, killing at least five people and injuring dozens, in what observers say is part of a larger pattern of violence against civilians and religious minorities during the ongoing conflict in Sudan, The Christian Post reported.

The churches targeted included the Sudanese Episcopal Church, the African Inland Church, and the Roman Catholic Church, all located in El Fasher, which remains the last major city in Darfur not under RSF control. Among the fatalities was Roman Catholic parish priest Fr. Luka Jomo, who succumbed to his injuries on June 12.

Escalation of religious targeting in the conflict

El Fasher has been under siege by the RSF since April 2024, with the paramilitary group carrying out repeated attacks as part of its campaign to seize the city from the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF). Though the United Nations Security Council has demanded an end to the siege, the RSF has continued to operate in the area.

The RSF has reportedly been using churches for military operations and engaging in violence that is both ethnically and religiously driven. Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) condemned the attacks, highlighting that churches often serve as critical shelters for people displaced by violence in the conflict zone.

Mervyn Thomas, president of CSW, called for immediate international action, stating that both the RSF and the SAF have violated international humanitarian principles. He emphasized the urgent need for a ceasefire to protect the lives of civilians.

Forced displacement and siege tactics worsen conditions

In the same region, the RSF seized the large Abu Souk and Zamzam camps in April 2024, both roughly nine miles from El Fasher. These two camps had provided shelter to more than 700,000 displaced individuals before being transformed into RSF military outposts.

The expansion of RSF control in the area has made El Fasher a strategic and symbolic target. Human rights organizations have raised alarms about the increasing militarization of civilian spaces and the systematic targeting of non-Arab Christian groups.

During the broader civil war, which began in April 2023, both the RSF and SAF have been accused of attacking religious sites. In December 2024, a SAF airstrike struck a church in Khartoum, killing 11 people, eight of them children.

International condemnation and calls for accountability

The United States designated the RSF’s actions as genocide in January 2025, citing atrocities committed along ethnic lines. Then-Secretary of State Antony Blinken accused RSF fighters and their allied militias of carrying out ethnically motivated killings, including the murder of children, and widespread sexual violence against women and girls.

According to Blinken, these attacks are part of a deliberate campaign. “The R.S.F. and allied militias have systematically murdered men and boys — even infants — on an ethnic basis,” he said, also emphasizing the targeted rape of women during military offensives.

Religious persecution has also been documented. Christian Solidarity Worldwide and other advocacy groups report that Christian populations in Sudan are facing pressure to convert to Islam, compounding the dangers already present in conflict zones.

Children bear the brunt of ongoing violence

The humanitarian toll of the war has been particularly severe for children. UNICEF estimates that 15 million children across Sudan need humanitarian assistance. Approximately 4 million of them are suffering from acute malnutrition.

Millions of children have been forced out of school due to the violence, with UNICEF reporting that 17 million school-aged children are currently not enrolled. About one-third of displaced minors are under five years old, raising concerns over long-term developmental impacts.

In addition to malnutrition and loss of education, thousands of children have gone missing during the conflict. The number of reported deaths among children has surpassed 3,000 since April 2023, marking one of the most devastating aspects of the ongoing conflict.

Future uncertain as siege of El Fasher continues

Despite international pressure, the RSF maintains its siege on El Fasher, with residents facing severe shortages of food, healthcare, and protection. The June bombings of the churches have heightened fears that the city’s Christian community may be deliberately targeted.

Advocates warn that as long as churches are seen as combat zones instead of sanctuaries, civilians seeking refuge may face further harm. Many families have grown increasingly desperate, as avenues for escape or medical assistance are limited by the encirclement of RSF forces.

The attacks on churches reflect a broader trend of religious and ethnic violence in the civil war, which continues to unfold with devastating consequences for Sudan’s diverse communities.