Sniper sparks fire at Daughters of Mary Help of Christians Dar Mariam House

(MissionNewswire) The Daughters of Mary Help of Christians Dar Mariam House in Khartoum, Sudan*, was again impacted by the ongoing war in the country. On Jan. 2, a sniper from one of the rebel groups involved in the conflict set fire to the second floor of the house. Rooms and the hall on a side of the floor were badly damaged. With help from neighbors and soldiers, the fire was extinguished in two hours.

“No one was injured. Thank God. May his will and his glory always prevail,” said Father Jacob Thelekkadan, an Indian Salesian missionary who has been living in the Dar Mariam House since shortly after the outbreak of the war.

The Dar Mariam House is home to Salesian sisters, Fr. Thelekkadan, mothers and children, and a group of men, including some who are elderly and sick. This is the second time the house has been impacted by the war. On Nov. 3, 2023, it was hit by a large bomb, which damaged several classrooms and structures. There were only minor injuries given the destruction.

The war between Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) started on April 15, 2023. Since then, there has been no public transport, electricity is sporadic and water is becoming scarce.

The most official data available from October 2023 indicated that there about 10,000 dead and almost 12,000 injured. The U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees noted that at the end 2023, the conflict had caused almost 7.1 million internally displaced people and more 1.3 million refugees.

Salesian sisters will continue to monitor the situation and do what they can for those most in need.

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Sources:

ANS Photo (usage permissions and guidelines must be requested from ANS) 

ANS – Sudan – Sniper sparks a fire at the FMA house in Karthoum

Salesian Missions – Sudan

UNHCR Sudan

*Any goods, services, or funds provided by Salesian Missions to programs located in this country were administered in compliance with applicable laws and regulations, including sanctions administered by the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Asset Control.