Two Sudanese Church Leaders Released Following Abductions in Nuba Mountains

Two prominent leaders of the Sudanese Church of Christ in Heiban, South Kordofan, have been released following their recent abductions. The Rev. Yaqob Ibrahim Tia was freed on July 28 alongside several family members, while Pastor Zakaria Suliman Jana was released on August 1. Local sources attribute the kidnappings to breakaway factions of the Sudan People’s Liberation Army-North (SPLA-N).

Following his release, Pastor Tia expressed gratitude and called for an end to the internal conflict within the region, which has led to significant displacement among women, children, and the elderly. The abductions occur amidst a broader surge of violence against clergy in the Nuba Mountains. Reports indicate that breakaway SPLA-N militants were also responsible for the July 24 killing of Episcopal Pastor Adel Idris Jongool and the June 19 attack on a Catholic parish in Kauda, which resulted in the deaths of a priest and a security guard.