Two Sudanese pastors living at a refugee settlement in South Sudan have reportedly received death threats following an attack on one of them earlier this year, raising concerns about the safety of Christian converts in the camp.
The latest incident occurred on the evening of 25 September, when an unidentified man spent about 30 minutes outside the home of Pastor Drij Haruon Khamis at the Gorom Refugee Settlement, around 26 kilometres south-west of Juba, the South Sudanese capital.
Sources said the man appeared to be monitoring the pastor while making phone calls. Pastor Khamis contacted the police, who arrived and arrested the man. The suspect remained in custody, according to the pastor.
Khamis believes the incident may be linked to an attack in May, when Muslim extremists allegedly injured his leg at a church site inside the settlement.
Before that assault, Khamis and Pastor Adel Idris, both leaders of the Darfur Christian Council, had reportedly received threats from extremists living in the camp. According to Khamis, police questioning indicated that the detained man posed a threat.
On 27 September, the pastors informed the Darfur Christian Council and their church about the threats and requested prayer and support.
The situation has left the pastors fearful for their safety. Speaking to Morning Star News, Khamis said they were uncertain about what lay ahead but continued to trust in God’s protection.
The reported threats have also caused concern among other Christians in the settlement, many of whom come from Sudan’s Darfur region and have converted from Islam.
According to reports, some Muslim extremists in the camp, allegedly encouraged by a local mosque imam, view the church’s evangelistic activities as a threat to Islam. Christian converts from Darfur have also reportedly faced hostility and rejection from relatives because of their faith.
Although South Sudan’s constitution protects religious freedom, including the right to change and share one’s faith, Christians from more restrictive communities can continue to face strong social and family pressure.
In Sudan, apostasy was punishable by death under the law until the government abolished the provision in 2020. However, hostility towards conversion remains a concern, and some converts continue to face the risk of violence and rejection.
Church leaders in Gorom are calling for stronger protection for Christian converts and seeking assistance with basic necessities for people displaced by religious persecution.
The settlement is also struggling to meet the needs of its growing population, with shortages of food, clean water and healthcare adding to the difficulties faced by residents.
Gorom was established in 2010 with support from the United Nations to accommodate about 2,500 Ethiopian refugees fleeing conflict. It has since expanded as people escaping crises in neighbouring countries have arrived.
By August 2023, the settlement was hosting more than 10,000 people, including refugees from Sudan. Anti-Sudanese violence in Juba in January 2025 prompted more than 6,800 Sudanese refugees to move to Gorom. By April that year, the camp’s population had risen to more than 22,000.
Sudan remains a difficult country for Christians, according to international religious freedom monitoring organisations. Open Doors ranked the country fourth on its 2026 World Watch List, which identifies the countries where Christians face the most severe persecution.
The country’s religious population is predominantly Muslim, while Christians and followers of traditional African religions make up smaller minorities, according to Joshua Project estimates.
The US State Department removed Sudan from its list of Countries of Particular Concern in 2019, moving it to a lower-level watch list. Sudan had held the more serious designation from 1999 to 2018. In December 2020, the State Department also removed the country from its Special Watch List.
Despite changes to the country’s legal framework, the reported threats in Gorom highlight continuing concerns about the safety of Christian converts among displaced communities, where religious tensions and limited access to essential services can leave vulnerable families facing additional hardships.
Based on reporting by Morning Star News.
