Authorities in Lopa/Lafon County have confirmed that three children were abducted along the Lafon-Juba road on Friday last week by suspected Murle tribesmen.
The five children aged between 14 and 15 years were reputedly travelling to Juba for Christmas shopping when they were ambushed and kidnapped.
“I have two 15-year-old girls and a 14-year-old boy and they went from here (Lafon) to buy their things for Christmas but unfortunately unknown kidnappers ambushed them on the road,” speaking to Radio Tamazuj on Monday evening, the Executive Director of Lafon County, Ingofok Irru, said. “They were five, three of them were taken and two of them have reported to Mogiri.”
“The abducted girls are 14-year-old Aneta Amoli Akongo and 15-year-old Anetta Itwari Thomas. The boy is 15-year-old John Robba Utong. All of them belong to the Pari ethnic group,” Irru explained.
Udwar Charles Ukech, the Speaker of the defunct Torit State Legislative Assembly, confirmed the unfortunate incident and said communication with the Murle community is ongoing to return the abducted children.
“Yes, I can confirm that three children were abducted along Lafon-Mogiri road. These are the Murle people because these children were five, and the two who escaped identified the marks on the bodies of the abductors. We have already communicated with them, we met their leaders here to make sure that these children are brought back,” Ukech said.
He advised the parents of the abducted children to remain calm, “we are following up with the Murle leaders and we will keep them updated.”
Radio Tamazuj could not reach Murle community leaders for comments.