Pope Leo XIV mourns landslide victims in Sudan’s Darfur region

Pope Leo XIV has expressed his sorrow following a landslide in Sudan’s Darfur region that is feared to have wiped out an entire village.

In a telegram signed by Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin and addressed to Bishop Yunan Tombe Trille Kuku Andali of the El-Obeid Diocese, the Pope said he was “deeply saddened” by the devastation caused in the village of Tarasin, Central Darfur. He assured those affected of his “spiritual closeness”, prayed for the eternal rest of the dead, and invoked blessings of consolation and strength upon the nation.

The Holy Father also offered encouragement to civil authorities and emergency personnel engaged in relief operations, invoking “the divine blessings of consolation and strength” upon the entire nation. His message came as the ruling Sovereign Council confirmed that thousands may have perished when the mountainside collapsed after days of heavy rainfall.

The landslide struck Tarasin on Sunday in the remote Marrah Mountains. Situated over 900 kilometres west of Khartoum, the volcanic range frequently suffers from seasonal floods between July and October. According to a statement by a rebel group, more than 1,000 residents are believed to have died, with only one survivor reported. The Sovereign Council in Khartoum said it mourned the “death of hundreds of innocent residents” and pledged that “all possible capabilities” were being mobilised to support the area.

Luca Renda, the United Nations humanitarian coordinator in Sudan, told Al Jazeera he was “deeply saddened” by the reports and confirmed that the UN and its partners were deploying assistance to affected communities.

A local emergency network said its teams had recovered nine bodies by Tuesday, but search operations were hampered by poor weather and the rugged terrain. Mohamed Abdel-Rahman al-Nair, spokesman for the Sudan Liberation Movement/Army, told the Associated Press that the village was so isolated it could only be reached by foot or donkey.

Last year, torrential rains caused the collapse of a dam in Red Sea State, killing at least 30 people. Hundreds die annually during Sudan’s rainy season, but the scale of the tragedy in Tarasin has shocked aid workers and authorities alike.

Famine has already been declared in parts of Darfur, where displaced families from North Darfur had sought shelter in the Marrah Mountains.

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