Rep. Chris Smith, a Republican from New Jersey and chair of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa, is drawing attention to the ongoing civil war in Sudan and its humanitarian impact ahead of a congressional hearing scheduled for December 11.
Smith, who has served in Congress representing New Jersey’s 4th district since 1981, said that the violence in Sudan since the outbreak of civil war in April 2023 has led to a large number of civilian deaths and displacement. “Since 2023, as many as 18,000 civilian deaths have been committed in Sudan — with estimates as high as 150,000 — and more than 10 million people have been displaced as a direct result of the Sudanese Civil War,” Smith said in a statement. “The catastrophic humanitarian crisis in Sudan — which includes the systemic killings, rapes, abductions, detentions, and child soldier recruitments of innocent civilians — demands our attention.”
The conflict began between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces over plans to integrate the RSF into the national army. The upcoming hearing will review developments in the conflict and examine crimes attributed to government forces and armed groups.
The first panel at the hearing will include Deputy Assistant Secretary Vincent D. Spera from the State Department’s Bureau of African Affairs. The second panel will feature Ken Isaacs from Samaritan’s Purse, Tony Perkins from Family Research Council and U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom Vice Chair, and Nicole Widdersheim from Human Rights Watch.
Church leaders have also expressed concern about events in Sudan. Pope Leo XIV recently called for prayers for victims during his November 2 Angelus address and highlighted ongoing persecution against Christians.
Sudan ranks fifth on Open Doors’ 2025 World Watch List of countries most dangerous for Christians. Approximately two million Christians currently reside there.
Smith was born in Rahway, New Jersey in 1953 and lives in Manchester Township. He graduated from The College of New Jersey with a Bachelor of Science degree in 1975.
The article was originally published on December 9, 2025 at https://catholicvote.org/rep-chris-smith-calls-attention-to-bloodshed-in-sudan/.
