El Obeid: The humanitarian catastrophe unfolding in Sudan’s Darfur region continues to worsen, with the Catholic Church in El Obeid struggling to endure in the face of war, famine, and disease. Caritas Africa President, Monsignor Pierre Cibambo, has voiced grave concern, describing the Diocese of El Obeid as “extremely vulnerable” and warning that the plight of Christians in the region risks being completely overshadowed by the silence of the world.
Earlier this month, Pope Leo XIV made a powerful appeal for Sudan, urging the international community to act decisively to end the war and to provide humanitarian corridors for those trapped by the fighting. His plea came in response to escalating violence, famine, a cholera outbreak, and even a deadly landslide in Darfur. The Pope stressed that Sudan’s agony is not merely a regional issue but a human crisis requiring global solidarity.
In his interview with Vatican News, Monsignor Cibambo lamented that Darfur has slipped into the margins of international consciousness. “It is a forgotten crisis,” he said bluntly. “Not because it is over, but because too little is being done to alleviate the suffering. The Holy Father’s words were meant to shake us, to remind us that these people cannot be abandoned.”
Caritas Internationalis, together with the Protestant-led ACT Alliance, has attempted to respond by raising funds and supporting humanitarian work. Yet access remains perilous, with armed groups blocking aid routes and making relief operations dangerous. “We want to do more, but security concerns constantly disrupt our efforts,” Cibambo admitted.
The Diocese of El Obeid sits at the crossroads of Khartoum and Darfur, serving as both a pastoral mission and a logistical lifeline. It spans a population of nearly 14 million people, though Catholics account for less than 1%. Despite its small size, the Church has long served as a stabilising force, providing shelter, schools, and food distribution.
But today, its ability to serve is hanging by a thread. Monsignor Cibambo acknowledged that the diocese has very limited resources and is “struggling to breathe under the weight of this crisis.” Bishop Yunan Tombe Trille Kuku of El Obeid is expected to travel to Geneva in the coming weeks to brief UN agencies and humanitarian organisations, pressing for urgent international engagement.
Sudan’s civil war has left minority communities particularly exposed. Both the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have been accused of targeting civilians, committing atrocities including systematic sexual violence, forced displacement, and ethnic persecution. Humanitarian aid convoys have repeatedly been obstructed, further strangling relief operations.
“Why is the local Church so vulnerable?” Cibambo asked. “Because they are on the frontline. They live there, they die there, often without anyone outside noticing. Their suffering is invisible to the world.”
Since fighting broke out in April 2023 between Sudan’s two military power blocs, the country has been plunged into chaos. Darfur’s towns have been decimated, Khartoum has lost nearly all functioning infrastructure, and millions have been displaced internally and across borders. Health services, electricity grids, and basic food supply chains have collapsed, leaving ordinary Sudanese trapped in misery.
“Darfur is bleeding, but so is all of Sudan,” Monsignor Cibambo said. “When we speak of Darfur, we are really speaking of a country in ruins. And yet, we still believe peace is possible. But peace requires the world not to look away.”
As Pope Leo XIV reiterated in his global appeal, Sudan’s suffering cannot be treated as background noise in a world consumed by other conflicts. For the Diocese of El Obeid, survival now depends on solidarity both spiritual and material.
“The Church is vulnerable,” Cibambo concluded, “but it is also a beacon of hope. Even in this darkness, it stands with the people. Our duty is to make sure the world does not abandon them.”