Samaritan's Purse condemns bombing of Sudanese Bible college

A Bible school supported by Samaritan's Purse was destroyed on Wednesday in the latest bombing raid to hit South Kordofan, an oil-rich Sudanese province that borders the newly created independent country of South Sudan.

At least eight bombs were dropped in the area of Heiban Bible College Wednesday during the school's first day of classes, according to a statement by Samaritan's Purse, Franklin Graham's Christian humanitarian group, which supports the school.

Heiban Bible College operates out of a compound in the Nuba Mountains in South Kordofan, which borders the new nation of South Sudan, and fortunately no injuries were reported.

"We have been working for years in Sudan," Samaritan's Purse President Franklin Graham said. "Today our Bible school in Heiban in the Nuba Mountains was bombed by the Sudanese Air Force.

"No one was killed or hurt, but buildings were destroyed. Please pray for the safety of believers, and that God would intervene."

The son of evangelist Billy Graham went on to say, "My staff and I are deeply concerned for the welfare and lives of the people in the Nuba Mountains of Sudan who were terrorised by the bombings of the Heiban Bible College."

The college was built in 2007 to train local pastors. Graham said eight bombs were dropped on the building in the attack by the Sudanese Air Force.

He said it was a miracle that no one had been killed or injured as the attack occurred on the first day of class for the new school year and the campus was full of students, teachers and teachers' families. It was a miracle that no one was injured or killed.

"The bombs ignited grass in and around the campus and we still do not know the full extent of the damage," he said.

"We at Samaritan's Purse condemn the repeated attacks on the innocent people who are being terrorised in the Nuba Mountains. Many have been forced to flee their homes and we are committed to helping those in need.

"My prayer is that the world will not just sit by and watch and hope for the best, but make it clear to the government of Sudan that attacks like these will not be tolerated."

Samaritan's Purse has supported the Heiban Bible College since it was founded in 2007. The organisation constructed classrooms, dormitories, kitchens, a dining room and housing for teachers and in 2010, Franklin Graham attended and spoke at the ceremony for the first graduating class of 36 students.

Samaritan's Purse and Franklin Graham have a long history in Sudan, having spent some $100 million to help the Sudanese people. The organisation has been working throughout Sudan since 1993, providing hundreds of thousands of people with food, medical aid and vocational training.

Graham, who has called on the international community to take out Sudan's air assets and establish a no-fly zone in the region, said in a statement Thursday that he blamed Sudan's air force for the strike.
At least four churches have been destroyed since August, the group said.