Hundreds of school children abducted by armed group in Mundri east

October 26, 2016 (YAMBIO) – At least five hundred school children both boys and girls mainly from primary seven and eight were rounded up by an armed group last week during an attack in Mundri East county in Kediba town and taken to the bush with their whereabouts unknown.

Speaking to media from Mundri west county where there is mobile network, the commissioner of Mundri East county, John Henry, said an armed group believed to be members of the Sudan People’s Liberation Army in Opposition (SPLA-IO) attacked Kediba town from different corners and allegedly rounded up school children. They also targeted his house during the attack of which the town was under their control for some days before they withdrew to the bush.

“According to the report from the community leaders and parents, the children both boys and girls abducted by the rebels are more than five hundred who were taken to the bush and their whereabouts is not known,” said Henry.

The commissioner who survived the attack said calm had returned to Mundri East county headquarters, adding that government offices and market are yet to start functioning well and the security situation remains alarming,” he said.

He said the government of South Sudan should clarify exactly which Kediba President Salva Kiir issued an order to make it a cantonment area for the SPLA-IO forces, explaining that there are two Kediba towns in greater Mundri. One Kediba, he said, is where the forces loyal to opposition’s commander, Wesely Walebe, is based and there is another Kediba where the commissioner of the county is based.

Due to lack of mobile network in the area, the commissioner, he added, is exerting efforts to pass the message to the world through media about the abducted children and the message to reach the rebel leader to release the children.

He lauded lack of food in the county due to the insecurity and drought which badly affect the production this year, and hunger is affecting people seriously which needs humanitarian assistance.

“Thousands of people have been displaced to the bushes and they are living in a terrible condition of no clean water, no food and medicine to be given to sick people,” Henry said.

He stressed that the people of South Sudan have suffered enough for many years and there is no need to continue fighting which he said will only bring destruction to the country.

(ST)