Christian and Muslim religious leaders in the Nuba Mountains, spanning South and West Kordofan states, have called for an immediate end to armed violence and hate speech, urging all parties to pursue dialogue and reconciliation.
The new Sudanese Council of Churches and the Islamic Council of the Nuba Mountains issued a joint statement on Wednesday following consultations held from September 21 to 23 at Yida refugee camp in Ruweng, South Sudan.
Held under the slogan “One Society, One People, United for Peace and Reconciliation”, the meeting addressed the conflict’s devastating impact on communities.
Bishop El Aiser Coco said the conflict, which began on March 12, 2026 and spread across Heiban locality in South Kordofan, had caused deaths, destroyed livelihoods, displaced thousands and deepened fear and trauma.
He urged all sides to stop violence and inflammatory rhetoric, exercise restraint and give dialogue a genuine opportunity, saying civilians’ lives, dignity and security must take precedence over political, military and tribal interests.
The statement also called for an end to hostilities, serious and inclusive dialogue, justice and tolerance, community reconciliation, confidence-building, humanitarian assistance, action on the root causes of the conflict, and protection of civilians and human dignity.
Coco urged communities across the Nuba Mountains to remain calm and avoid actions that could inflame tensions.
He called on traditional leaders, women, youth, civil society and political leaders to support peacebuilding, urging communities to choose “dialogue instead of violence, reconciliation instead of hatred, tolerance instead of revenge, and coexistence rather than division”.
The leaders also appealed to local, regional and international actors to support peace efforts, provide humanitarian assistance and help address the root causes of the conflict.
