A Christian church in Sudan was demolished without warning by state authorities on Sunday.

Police 'took everything' from the evangelical church in Al Haj Yousif, Khartoum, one church leader told Morning Star News. Officials reportedly said the 64-member congregation's worship was disturbing the peace, though church leaders have suggested the move is due to a local Muslim businessman seeking the land the church is on. They said that the businessman had forged documents asserting his ownership of the property.

Chairs, tables and Bibles were confiscated before a bulldozer destroyed the building, just hours after the Sunday service.

In a Facebook post on Sunday Christian activist Samaan Mahajou wrote: 'We urge all activists and human rights supporters around the world to denounce this move and demand for the return of the confiscated property of the church.'

The state-sanctioned destruction follows the ransacking and demolition of several Sudanese churches in the majority-Muslim country in recent years, with claims that the church land belongs to Muslim individuals. The building of new churches has also been banned, while church leaders frequently face harassment, detention and persecution. In a report for Christian Today, author Rebecca Tinsley has described Christians in the country as facing 'ethnic cleansing' and 'systematic bombardment' by their government.

Sudan became increasingly authoritarian following the secession of South Sudan in 2011, with Sudan's President Omar al-Bashir promising a stricter form of sharia law across the country. Earlier this month seven church leaders were fined for 'objection to the authorities', in the latest conflict over the state confiscation of churches.