Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW), a UK-based human rights organization, is calling for concrete measures to reduce tensions in Sudan following the June 19 killing of Fr. Youhanna Al-Amin, a Catholic priest who chose to remain with his community amid escalating violence in the Nuba Mountains. In a report shared with ACI Africa on Thursday, June 25, CSW Founding President Mervyn Thomas condemned the murder of the parish priest of St. Vincent Kauda in the Diocese of El Obeid. Fr. Youhanna was killed along with a parish watchman and another person.
Local sources cited by Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) on June 20 said the killing appeared to be retaliation after the priest reported the theft of medicines the Church stored for local residents.“We call on the authorities in the region to take concrete steps to reduce tensions and protect citizens, and we once again urge the international community to step up its efforts to end the devastating conflict in Sudan,” Thomas said.
Kauda is the main center of the Nuba mountain areas controlled by the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N). The region has long faced conflict and instability. In recent months, worsening insecurity and clashes between armed and tribal groups have led some religious figures to leave. Fr. Youhanna, however, refused to abandon the community he served, even as the humanitarian situation deteriorated.
In an area marked by poverty and limited access to essential services, his ministry extended beyond pastoral care. The Church also served as a vital source of healthcare and support for vulnerable families. News of his death has shocked the Diocese of El Obeid, where he ministered for nearly three decades.The parish of San Pedro Babnusa in the Diocese of El Obeid, where Fr. Youhanna served from 1997 to 2021, recalled his long years of service in a message shared with ACN. His journey began when he arrived as a seminarian, later serving as a deacon, priest, and finally parish priest. “He was a friend to young people and children, and he loved his work until the end,” the parish said.
According to CSW’s June 25 report, tensions in Kauda flared about three months ago when the SPLM-N, the city’s governing authority, demarcated territories between the Otoro and Shawaya tribes. The move prompted some Otoro members to attack Shawaya villages. Attacks have since spread to the Kawaleeb tribe, to which SPLM-N commander Izzat Koko belongs. CSW sources speculate this may have been a motive for Fr. Al-Amin’s murder, noting that both the Otoro and Kawaleeb tribes are predominantly Christian. The report also suggests a possible economic motive tied to shortages of food and medicine among Otoro fighters.Churches have been widely used as shelters during the conflict in Sudan, particularly in the Nuba Mountains, home to most of the country’s Christians.
Attacks on places of worship and religious leaders have been extensively documented, with both the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) accused of using places of worship for military purposes.“Attacks on places of worship should always be condemned, but they are particularly worrying in a region known for the peaceful coexistence between religious and ethnic communities,” Thomas stated.