Christians in North Khartoum, Sudan are fighting to stop the government from completely tearing down their church and homes of Christians.

Government security forces accompanied a bulldozer that knocked down a wall of the Khartoum Bahri Evangelical Church and also some homes that belonged to Christians. The Christians, in turn, formed a human barrier to stop the further demolition attempts by the government.

One of the homes destroyed belonged to the Nile Theological College and a Chrsitian doctor who had rented the home lost all his belongings.

The government claimed they had the right to appoint leaders for the church despite the fact the church members did not want them.

“The government recently installed some committee to the running of the church, and these are the same people who want to sell the church for business purposes,” pastor Daud Fadul told Morning Star News.

Church members say the move is part of a government movement to take all land from Christians.