Sudanese police raid homes of church leaders

Sudanese police raid homes of church leaders

OMDURMAN, Sudan — In further efforts to help a Muslim businessman take over church property, police in Sudan evicted two church leaders and their families from their houses.

On Aug. 15, police raided the two homes belonging to the Sudan Presbyterian Evangelical Church (SPEC) in the city of Omdurman. They evicted the families of pastors Yahia Abdelrahim Nalu and Sidiq Abdalla. The action was the latest show of force in a government-aided bid to help Muslim businessman Hisham Hamad Al-Neel take over the church property for investment, sources told Morning Star News. Police told the church leaders that they were carrying out a court order.

“The situation is very difficult, and we are living on the street,” Nalu said.

SPEC leaders said they have appealed to nullify the evictions, but that any resolution would not come soon. Sudan ranked fifth on Christian support organization Open Doors’ 2017 World Watch List of countries where Christians face most persecution. (MS)