Sudan’s oil-rich Kordofan region has become a fierce battleground as the national army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) vie for control. The conflict, now entering its third year, has already cost around 150,000 lives and forced more than 12 million people from their homes.
Strategically located and vital for the nation’s oil supply, Kordofan is made up of three states and home to nearly eight million people. Whoever secures the region gains not only territory but influence over Sudan’s future. Yet, amid the struggle for power, civilians face the harshest consequences.
Earlier this month, airstrikes hit West Kordofan’s capital, el-Fula, and the town of Abu Zabad, killing more than 20 people, including families sheltering in a school. The RSF has been accused of brutal attacks in North Kordofan, where more than 450 civilians, including children and pregnant women, reportedly lost their lives. Satellite images suggest some villages were deliberately burned, and many victims were trapped in their homes.
Fighting has intensified around el-Obeid, the capital of North Kordofan, as the RSF seeks to advance and the army attempts to secure supply lines. Towns such as Umm Sumaima have changed hands repeatedly, leaving residents uncertain and fearful of what comes next. Aid groups warn that each day of combat increases the toll on ordinary families who have already endured displacement, loss, and trauma.
As the battle for Kordofan stretches on, the human cost is staggering. Communities grieve, homes lie in ashes, and many live with the constant fear of violence. Yet, stories of neighbours helping one another and families clinging to hope remind us that even in the darkest valleys, light can endure.
Prayer Pointers
- Pray: for protection over Kordofan’s civilians that God would shield families from violence and deliver the oppressed.
- Pray: and ask the Lord to bring peace to Sudan for God to soften hardened hearts, ending cycles of revenge and hatred.
- Pray: for the Church in Sudan for the to remain steadfast, bringing hope and comfort to those in despair.
Prayer – for the innocent and defenceless
Lord, we lift up the people of Kordofan. Protect the innocent, comfort the grieving, and bring an end to bloodshed. Raise Your Church to shine as a beacon of hope, and let Your peace touch this broken land. Amen
“The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble." Psalm 9:9