Omdurman — Sheikh Muhammad Hassan El Fateh denied digging up shrines in the mosque of Sheikh Qarib Allah in Omdurman, indicating that what the video clips showed, is not a dig up of shrines, but rather an internal construction after the elevation. At the same time, he confirmed that the mosque had been subjected to a new attack.
Videos circulated on social media showing that al-Massed was vandalized and the graves attached to it were exhumed, which sparked widespread condemnation.
Ibrahim al-Mirghani, a leader in the Democratic Unionist origin, said in a post on the X platform that what happened is a crime that proves and confirms the seriousness of extremism and terrorist groups in Sudan, and said that terrorist groups are now part of the forces in the field, pointing to beheadings, digging up graves in mosques and attacking the tombs of the righteous.
But Sheikh Qariballah said, in a statement issued on Wednesday evening, that during the period of reconstruction of the mosque, the floor of the dome was raised to about two meters, similar to the mosque building geometrically, pointing to the reconstruction of the shrines of the sheikhs from their roof to rise to the level of the new architecture, with covered from the top with a light cover, indicating that bridging all this gap may lead to the demolition of shrines.
New Assault
He stressed, at the same time, that the mosque was subjected to a new attack, shown by video clips, represented in the explosion of the guesthouses from the inside, and the burning of the mosque's chapel and directing the fire to the columns in particular, indicating that the strength and length of the fire could have demolished the building.
The armed forces recently took control of the area where al-Massed is located after fierce battles with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which have controlled the area for the past months.
Sheikh Qariballah pointed to the publication of another video clip showing an explosion inside the dome that led to the exposure of the wooden cover above the height, while the building appeared under it intact and did not even demolish the bricks, indicating that the force of the explosion reached the top of the dome and led to the cracking of the internal whiteness, and pointed out that there is no crumple of dirt next to the shrines, which he considered evidence of not touching or trying to dig up .
Previous videos, before the latest attack, showed the partial safety of the mosque and its annexes and dome .
Efforts to address
Sheikh Qariballah confirmed their intention to address the matter in a small scope. He said that they preferred to remain silent despite their knowledge of the new attack at the time and before the appearance of the last clip in the media, and warned that they prevented filming and publication to avoid what he described as sedition.
A large number of places of worship, such as mosques and churches in Khartoum, El Geneina and others, have been bombed and attacked in various forms, which led to their partial destruction. In some cases, they have been turned into military headquarters for the parties to the war.
Widespread violations of places of worship
Since the outbreak of the war in April, a large number of places of worship have been bombed, attacked and abused, and videos recently circulated showed Islamist groups fighting in the army turning a mosque into a military barracks, carrying weapons and chanting "Islamic only", and other clips showed the Rapid Support Forces entering the Land Cruiser inside the chapel.
In January, unknown assailants set fire to Sudan's Evangelical Presbyterian Church at the church's headquarters in the city of Wad Madani, destroying more than 100-year-old religious and historical facilities. The church considered the incident to be intended to spread hatred.
In July, the African Centre for Peace and Justice Studies documented the destruction of 16 mosques, raids on and looting of four churches and the denial of worshippers from entering. The attacks also killed and injured worshippers during the war between the army and the RSF.
A mosque destroyed in the city of El Geneina, West Darfur state during the clashes in the city - Source Social Media
The report pointed out that the shelling of the armed forces of residential areas occupied by the Rapid Support led to the partial destruction of at least 16 mosques and the death of 5 civilians.
The RSF also raided four churches and harassed worshippers and church leaders who had gathered to pray.
Three mosques in El Geneina were destroyed after the resumption of war between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces on April 24, 2023.
The Khartoum Bahri attacks also destroyed 12 mosques and killed 5 people.
In Berri, the attacks targeted mosques in the Manshiya neighbourhood and neighbourhoods 11 and 44 in Khartoum's al-Azhari neighbourhoods.
In Omdurman, two mosques were bombed in Mohandessin and al-Amir in Um Badda."
The RSF in Khartoum raided at least four churches.
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On April 17, 2023, a group of RSF soldiers raided the Sudanese Episcopal Church located on one highway in Khartoum's Amarat neighborhood. The group broke the locks of the main gate and entered the building. Peace offices and meeting rooms were destroyed, a church car was stolen and another belonging to the bishop was destroyed. The RSF also took over the building and turned it into a military base.
On May 3, 2023, the Coptic Church in Khartoum North was stormed and looted.
Image of the attack on St. George's Church in Omdurman in May 2023
On May 13, 2023, a group of six armed men dressed in RSF uniforms raided George's Church located in the Masalma neighborhood of Omdurman where at least 40 people gathered for prayer. The attackers demanded gold and money. Five people, including the bishop and his son, were wounded by gunshot wounds in the legs. They threatened the bishop and forced him to give them cash and hand over his car. They also threatened to kill him if he did not convert to Islam. They also ordered worshippers in the church to convert to Islam.
On May 14, 2023, a group of masked gunmen raided the Church of Our Lady of the Nile in central Khartoum. They threatened the archbishop and expelled them from the church building. The group later turned the building into a military base.
