Late Father Luka Jumu of the El Obeid Diocese - Courtesy

JUBA, South Sudan (Eye Radio) – The President of the Sudan and South Sudan Bishops’ Conference, Stephen Ameyu has condemned the brutal killing of South Sudanese Priest, Father Luka Jumu, in El Fasher, Sudan.

Father Luka Jumu of the El Obeid Diocese, serving in El Fasher, has been brutally killed while ministering to God’s people at his parish.

This tragic news was confirmed in a press statement issued by the President of the Sudan and South Sudan Bishops’ Conference, Cardinal Stephen Ameyu.

The statement expressed profound grief, declaring: “With hope of the resurrection, we mourn our beloved Fr Luka Jumu and his two faithful companions, who were brutally killed in El Fasher.”

According to Cardinal Ameyu, Father Jumu’s death follows a disturbing pattern of escalating attacks against Church personnel and properties across Sudan since the outbreak of war in 2023.

He highlighted the extensive damage and disruption caused by the ongoing conflict, stating: “Seminaries have been looted, convents abandoned, parishes desecrated and countless faithful scattered like sheep without a shepherd.”

In response to these atrocities, the Bishops’ Conference asserted its spiritual solidarity and profound grief, raising its voice “to heaven and to the world to denounce the horrific killing of our beloved priest Fr Luka Jumu and his two faithful companions.”

Cardinal Ameyu affirmed the Church’s unwavering prayer and solidarity with Bishop Yunan Tombe Trille Kuku of the El Obeid Diocese and his clergy, who, along with religious sisters, “continue to witness to Christ amid persecution.”

The Church has issued an urgent call for an immediate halt to all military operations in civilian areas, specifically emphasizing the need to protect places of worship, hospitals, and humanitarian centers.

Despite the shadow of death, Cardinal Ameyu emphasized that the Church’s mission in Sudan remains “unshakable,” reiterating that Sudan’s “historical dignity has always been rooted in its religious co-existence.”

The Catholic Church in Sudan has indeed faced significant challenges throughout the ongoing conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

A notable incident occurred in December 2024 when Bishop Yunan Tombe Trille Kuku himself was severely beaten by RSF members while returning from Juba.

The Sudanese and South Sudanese Bishops’ Conference has consistently appealed for peace and reconciliation in the region, persistently urging both the Sudanese government and warring factions to protect religious leaders and ensure the safety and well-being of all civilians.