Heavy gunfire broke out on Tuesday in the capital of Sudan's Blue Nile border state where government soldiers have been fighting armed opposition groups, a Reuters correspondent said. Tensions have mounted in states along Sudan's poorly-defined border with South Sudan since the south declared independence in July. Thousands fled after fighting erupted last week in Blue Nile state. Blue Nile and Southern Kordofan - both states on Sudan's side of the border - and the disputed Abyei area, saw heavy fighting during decades of civil war between the Khartoum government and South Sudan. Fresh clashes have broken out in all three this year. They are all still home to tens of thousands of people from ethnic groups that
sided with the south during the civil war. Khartoum has accused people from those groups of trying to spread chaos along the border, backed by South Sudan's government - a charge denied by South Sudan.

Pray: for a resolution to this conflict bringing peace and stability to this area. (Pr.29:4)

More: http://www.france24.com/en/20110907-tension-gunfire-sudan-border-kordofan-blue-nile-south-new-state

On 21st April the Anglican Church in Sawafi was attacked by a mob, provoked by a radical Imam. Security forces stopped the mob, then some found an alternate route and ransacked and burnt down the building. Also on 21st the Gereif West Bible School in Al-Gereif, was badly damaged in an arson attack by a Muslim mob. They had received threats of violence in late March and early April. Churches on the site as well as the Bible School were damaged in the attack.Office equipment, library resources and students' personal belongings were destroyed. On 19th April in Burri 130 South Sudanese university students were detained and given seven days to leave Sudan after being accused of celebrating South Sudan's invasion of the Heglig oil field. The students denied that they had held any such celebration. Sudanese Christians give thanks that nobody was injured in the recent attacks.

Pray: Christians in Khartoum will know the peace, presence and protection of Jesus, and His enabling to live without fear; and for detained students to be released and know the Spirit's guidance and wisdom.

More: http://www.meconcern.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=507:sudan-attacks-on-church-property-in-khartoum&catid=7:prayer-requests&Itemid=12

Barnabas Fund has transported over 2,300 Christians from Sudan since the start of its rescue mission four months ago. The Christians are being evacuated because of increasing hostility in the majority-Muslim country. After South Sudan gained independence in 2011, the largely Christian Southerners living in Sudan lost their citizenship rights and were ordered to leave. There is little sign of conditions improving as Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir has vowed to bring in a fully Islamic constitution and strengthen Sharia law. The Christians in the Barnabas evacuation programme are being taken to South Sudan, which is largely Christian. The evacuees, who include women and children, are being transported by bus in partnership with Africa Inland Church Sudan. There are plans to rescue another 1,500 from Sudan. Dr Patrick Sookhdeo, International Director of Barnabas Fund, said: ‘It has been wonderful to see the Lord’s hand at work in the Exodus mission.’

Pray: that God will continue to bless this work so that many more Christian women and children trapped in Sudan can be helped to safety. (Ps.34:22)

More: http://www.christiantoday.com/article/christians.evacuated.from.sudan/31398.htm

Dozens of Sudanese Christians were thought to be trapped in a Sudanese prison Saturday, February 23, as violence raged in renewed fighting between two Arab tribes, killing scores of people. At least 55 Christians were detained by the government of Sudan over two weeks ago on ‘false accusations’ of allegedly receiving money from foreign countries, including Israel, according to Christians with close knowledge of the case. Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) said the group, which has no political affiliations and includes church leaders, was jailed as part of a wider crackdown on Christians in the volatile Islamic country. ‘CSW is deeply concerned at these arbitrary arrests and the wider news of an escalating crackdown on Christian citizens in Sudan’ said CSW’s Advocacy Director. ‘We urge the Sudanese government to release these prisoners and end its campaign of harassment against the Christian community.’ Also on Saturday 60 people died in fighting over mining rights in northern Darfur.

Pray: for detained believers and other Christians forced to flee areas of Sudan because of clashes and Islamic pressure by the government. (2Pe.1:2)

More: http://www.bosnewslife.com/26685-sudan-detains-dozens-of-christians-violence-kills-60

Following last week's Prayer Alert report of thousands fleeing burning and looting by North Sudan forces in and around Abyei, the Sudanese government has presented a package of proposals to resolve the issue of Abyei’s disputed oil-rich area. The proposals included deploying African Union troops and appointing a new chairmanship for the area on rotation between north and south Sudan. Elsewhere conflict continues as Sudanese authorities arrested a Christian woman in a Darfur camp accused of possessing and distributing Bibles. Sources said she could also be tried for apostasy, which carries the death sentence in Sudan. In Khartoum a wounded Christian mother of a 2-month-old baby and her husband are destitute because they left Islam for Christianity. Northern Christians are becoming more vulnerable. Source:

Pray: that Sudan’s spiritual atmosphere changes from death to life and the proposals resolve the conflict peacably. (Is.2:4)

More: http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v5/newsworld.php?id=590670

The World Council of Churches (WCC) and All Africa Conference of Churches (AACC) have condemned the destruction of a church in Sudan. The Episcopal Parish Church of Saint John, Haj Yousif, in Khartoum was reportedly demolished on 18 June on the orders of Sudanese government officials. The WCC and AACC have denounced the action as the latest in a series of ‘calculated attacks’ on minority communities and Christians in particular. On 21 April, the Sudan Evangelical Church Bible School in Khartoum was destroyed and books including the Bible set on fire in full view of the police. Two days later, security forces occupied the premises of the Sudan Council of Churches and Sudan Aid in Nyala, Darfur, and confiscated property. The WCC and AACC warned that Christians of Muslim background were being targeted and dispossessed of their property and their spouses.

Pray: for God’s people in Sudan that they will be covered by the armour of God. (Eph.6:10-20)

More: http://www.christiantoday.com/article/alarm.over.demolition.of.church.in.sudan/30144.htm

June 21st the Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Kadugli called Sunday June 26th a day of prayer and fasting ‘To end the Nuba Genocide and for the Peace of all Sudan’ as Sudan faces the nightmare of genocide in what the Bishop called, a final attempt to erase our culture and society from the face of the earth. It is not a war between armies that is being fought in our land, but the utter destruction of our way of life.’ See Meanwhile President Bashir threatened to shut pipelines carrying South Sudan's oil. Oil accounts for 98% of the south's income. Most pipelines, refineries and the main port is in the north. Talks between North and South continue regarding oil, citizenship and disputed borders while horrendous fighting persists between Christians and Muslims. See last weeks Prayer Alert and INSIGHT article.

Pray: for God in His mercy to place His hand over this situation and bring order out of chaos. (2Ch.14:11)

More: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-13870929