A pastor of the Seventh-day Adventist Church said gunmen ambushed and killed one of their evangelists and injured a pastor on Sunday evening in Warrap State’s Tonj North County.
Pastor William Wol Adewun Paduol, Director of Information and Communication of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Greater Bahr El Ghazal, identified the victims as Evangelist James Mangong Akol, who died at the scene, and Pastor Joseph Ayii Agieu, who sustained gunshot wounds and is currently receiving treatment at Wau Teaching Hospital.
“The incident took place between 7 and 8 p.m. on Sunday at the outskirts of Warrap Town, the headquarters of Tonj North County,” he said. “Pastor Joseph, the leader of Warrap West District, and Evangelist James were riding a motorbike home after officiating a wedding ceremony at Warrap Central Church when they were ambushed by unknown armed men.”
The motive behind the attack remains unclear, but the incident follows a recent rise in violence targeting religious institutions in the state. Warrap State has seen multiple cases of churches being attacked or burned by unidentified groups in recent months.
Pastor Wol appealed to state authorities to ensure the protection of religious communities, calling for immediate action to identify and prosecute those responsible for the attack.
“We urge the government to defend the right to freedom of worship and safeguard the lives of innocent civilians, especially church members,” he said.
Meanwhile, Ter Manyang Gatwech, Executive Director of the Juba-based Advocacy group, the Center for Peace and Advocacy (CPA), strongly condemned the attack.
“This heinous act carried out by unidentified gunmen on Sunday evening is not only a tragic loss to the community but also a grave attack on peace and religious freedom,” he stated. “The CPA extends its deepest condolences to the bereaved family, the Seventh-day Adventist Church, and the broader Christian Community. We call for swift investigations and the apprehension of those responsible for this cowardly act.”
According to Manyang, religious leaders play a crucial role in promoting peace, unity, and reconciliation at the grassroots, and targeting them undermines the very efforts that are essential to building lasting peace in South Sudan.
“If those who preach peace are not safe, it sends a dangerous message to all peacebuilders across the country. CPA urges the Warrap State government to enhance security measures and protect all citizens, especially those serving vulnerable and conflict-affected communities,” he said. “We also remind the state authorities to uphold and implement the resolutions of the 8th Governors’ Forum, which emphasized peacebuilding and local-level security initiatives.”
Efforts to reach Warrap State officials for comment were unsuccessful at the time of publishing.