Bishop Yunan Tombe Trille Kuku of Sudan's El Obeid Diocese. | Credit: CRN

The Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of El Obeid in Sudan, Rt. Rev Yunan Tombe Trille, was beaten and robbed by members of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), while returning to Sudan through the Renk border point last week, according to Catholic media outlets.

Bishop Tombe was assaulted after returning from the Eucharistic Congress in Juba on November 24, Catholic Information Service for Africa (CISA) reported, citing Juba-based Catholic Radio Network.

The cleric was in Juba for 50th anniversary of the Catholic Church’s hierarchy in Sudan and South Sudan, where he later joined other bishops to meet President Salva Kiir and discuss matters of the Church and the region.

According to CISA, the attack occurred as Bishop Tombe was traveling from Renk to El Obeid on a public transport by road.

When he reached a checkpoint manned by the Sudanese army, he was intercepted because he was carrying some money, and soldiers reportedly took a small amount of cash from him before allowing him to proceed.

Bishop Tombe was intercepted again, this time by the RSF, who interrogated him, robbed all his money and subjected him to severe beating, CISA reported.

‘Shortly after his release, he fell into the hands of the RSF, who subjected him to  severe beatings on his head and neck. He has been unable to eat properly since the attack due to his injuries,” recounted Rt Rev Remijo Adam, Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Wau, who spoke to CISA.

The 60-year-year-old bishop also narrated his ordeal in conversation with fellow clergy, Edward Hiiboro Kussala of the Diocese of Yambio – shared with ACI Africa that the RSF beat him up and left him for dead.

“On the side of Rapid Forces, I was given countless heavy blows on the neck, forehead, on my face and two sides of my head,” the bishop said in remarks disclosed to ACI Africa.

The Catholic Church leadership has condemned the incident and appealed to President Salva Kiir to engage with the Sudanese government to guarantee Bishop Tombe’s safety or explore relocating him from the diocese if the conditions in Sudan remain perilous.