War in Sudan puts Christians in mortal danger. We must pray

Fierce fighting has rocked Sudan in recent weeks as two rival factions vie for control. Caroline Duffield explains what is happening inside the tenth most dangerous country in the world to be a Christian, and how we can pray for those still trapped there

When the sounds of shelling erupted in Khartoum a week ago, Most Rev Ezekiel Kondo, Archbishop of Sudan, found himself protecting 42 families - including young children - inside All Saints Cathedral, in Khartoum.

As mortars and artillery shells rained down, they sheltered inside, listening to gunfire all around them. But within hours, the Cathedral precincts were breached. Families hid in silence as armed men ransacked the outer compound, firing weapons into church vehicles, looting and wrecking offices. Only once they had left could children and parents pick their way through destroyed streets to try to escape the city.