Religious and community leaders have appealed for calm, unity and prayer following a deadly attack in Khor Kaltan, in the Jebel Iraq area near the capital, Juba, that left at least 37 people dead. Authorities said the situation is now under control.
The March 28 attack, carried out by gunmen, targeted people working at a gold mining site in Khor Kaltan, about 70 kilometers southwest of Juba.
The Ministry of Reconciliation said its officials visited a graveyard in Khor Kaltan on April 3, where many victims were buried, and distributed food to bereaved families.
The delegation, led by Garang Deng Aguer, a senior ministry official and community leader from Aweil East, included pastors, church representatives and local leaders.
James Chak, a military commander overseeing the area, said security forces were present but did not immediately grasp the scale of the attack.
“The forces we had were deployed at the market and we did not expect anything to happen,” Chak said. “The incident occurred around 6 p.m. When the gunshots started, the forces were confused and thought it was a fight between drunken soldiers at the market.”
He said the attackers then began looting shops and stealing money, including from a shop selling gold, before moving toward a nearby river.
Chak said security forces attempted to pursue the attackers, but many escaped. He added that the situation has since been stabilized, with additional security deployed across the area.
Local officials confirmed that at least 37 people were killed. Twenty-one victims, including civilians and soldiers, were buried in a mass grave, while others were taken by relatives for burial elsewhere.
Most of the victims were reported to be from Northern Bahr el Ghazal and Warrap states.
Speaking at the graveyard, Prophet James Kwananyar described the attack as “a great tragedy to all South Sudanese,” saying leaders had gathered “to mourn with the nation and comfort the community.”
Aguer urged citizens to stand in solidarity with affected families, calling for collective support during the mourning period.
Pastor John Wel Deng, speaking on behalf of the Ministry of Reconciliation, called on South Sudanese to reject division and violence.
“Let us stop fighting and come together as one people,” he said. “We must reject tribalism and embrace unity.”
Other church leaders, including Apostle Athian and Prophet Kuat Anyar, also offered prayers and messages of hope.