A mosque was set ablaze in an artisanal mining area in northern Sudan on Friday after a religious dispute among worshippers escalated into violence and vandalism, according to local reports.
The confrontation erupted shortly after Friday prayers at the mosque in the Abri locality of Northern State. Two groups of worshippers reportedly argued over whether celebrations marking the Prophet Mohammed’s birthday were religiously permissible.
The heated exchange developed into a physical altercation before parts of the mosque were vandalised and the building was set on fire.
Local sources said the blaze destroyed the mosque’s solar-power system, several air-conditioning units and pieces of furniture.
Authorities are assessing the extent of the damage. No official estimate of the financial losses has been released, and there were no immediate reports of casualties.
The circumstances surrounding the fire and responsibility for starting it have not been independently verified.
