AFRICA/SOUTH SUDAN - Three thousand take refuge in church to escape violence after two SPLA generals were killed in an ambush

Tuesday, 11 April 2017 armed groups   displaced persons  

Juba (Agenzia Fides)- Two generals of the Southern Peoples Liberation Army (SPLA) were killed on Sunday 9 April near the city of Wau, in north western South Sudan on the western bank of the Jur River, in Wau County, Wau State. The generals in question were Brigadier General Peter Par, in charge of operations in the area and logistics chief, Abraham Bol Chut Dhuol. The high ranking officers were ambushed on the road back to Wau. At least 12 other military acting as escorts were also killed in the attack. In Wau the following day, fighting started and according to the United Nations Organisation, 16 civilians were killed and 10 injured.
People took shelter in churches. The local UN office reported that at least 3,000 people, mostly women and children, sought shelter in a church and another 84 persons took refuge in the purposely built UN centrer for the protection of civilians.
For some time Wau has been the scene of fighting between soldier followers of President Salva Kiir and others loyal to former Vice President Riek Machar (see Fides 7/2/2017). (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 11/4/2017)


Share: