KHARTOUM, Sudan — The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) Committee on International Justice and Peace has expressed solidarity with the Church in South Sudan following the reported killing of at least 170 people in two separate incidents in the country.
In a statement issued by the chairman of the USCCB Committee on International Justice and Peace and shared with ACI Africa, the sister service of EWTN News in Africa, on March 16, the bishops echoed the position of the Sudan and South Sudan Catholic Bishops’ Conference (SSS-CBC), stating that the killing reflects a disregard for the sanctity of human life.
“I write to express our profound ecclesial solidarity with the Church in South Sudan, as you mourn the killing of approximately 200 innocent civilians in Ayod County in Jonglei state and Abiemnhom County in the Ruweng Administrative area,” Bishop Abdallah Elias Zaidan said.
Zaidan added in reference to the March 2 statement by SSS-CBC: “These acts represent not only a tragic loss of life but a fresh descent into the abyss of human depravity, where the sanctity of life, a sacred gift from God, is trampled upon with alarming impunity.”
He added: “Our committee has long voiced urgent concern over the mass destruction and loss of life caused by civil conflict in South Sudan. We are deeply alarmed by the recent escalation of violence and further intensified humanitarian crisis,” he said.
Zaidan, the local ordinary of the Maronite Eparchy of Our Lady of Lebanon, said that the Catholic bishops in the U.S. share in the conviction that “every massacre is a defeat of our humanity” as highlighted by SSS-CBC.
“We urge the Catholic faithful in the U.S., and all people of goodwill, to pray and work for an end to the cycles of trauma, retaliation, and violence gravely afflicting communities across the country,” he said.
The USCCB solidarity statement comes amid growing concern over renewed violence in parts of South Sudan, where armed clashes and intercommunal attacks reportedly continue to undermine fragile peace efforts.
Reports from Ayod County in Jonglei state indicated that on Feb. 21, government-linked forces allegedly lured villagers in Pankor village with promises of food aid before opening fire on the gathering.
At least 22 people, including women and children, were reportedly killed in the attack.
Witnesses described the incident as a “death trap,” fueling fears that unarmed civilians are increasingly being deliberately targeted in the country’s continuing conflicts involving rival armed factions.
A second and more deadly incident reportedly occurred in Abiemnhom County in the Ruweng Administrative Area between March 1–2.
Local officials have reported that armed youths from neighboring Unity state stormed the county headquarters, attacking government offices and civilian areas. The assault reportedly left at least 169 people dead, including civilians, security personnel, and local government officials such as the county commissioner and executive director.
During the attack, homes and markets were set ablaze before government forces regained control of the town.
Women, children, and elderly residents were among those killed, while more than 1,000 civilians fled to seek refuge at a United Nations peacekeeping base as fighting intensified.
In their statement dated March 10 and addressed to the president of the SSS-CBC Integral Human Development Commission, Bishop Eduardo Hiiboro Kussala of the Diocese of Tombura-Yambio, the Catholic bishops in the U.S. pledged to reach out to the international community for humanitarian assistance.
“We also seek to amplify your call for international assistance in addressing needs for basic humanitarian services, pastoral care, and psychosocial support for the millions currently in distress,” Zaidan said.
He indicated that in the coming days, the faithful in parishes across the U.S. will contribute to the annual Catholic Relief Services (CRS) collection, one of the means through which the U.S. Catholic community can offer tangible support to the people of South Sudan.
The U.S. bishops further applauded the work of organizations like Solidarity with South Sudan, through which Catholic religious congregations help strengthen the people’s capacity to build a more just and peaceful society.
“We trust that Our Lord accompanies the people of South Sudan through their unthinkable suffering, particularly in this Lenten period,” said Zaidan, who is also a member of the Congregation of the Lebanese Maronite Missionaries (Maronite).
“We pray that the recent cascade of violence may be imminently halted and the most vulnerable protected. Through the intercession of Mary, Queen of Peace, may justice and peace reign throughout South Sudan.”
This story was first published by ACI Africa, the sister service of EWTN News in Africa, and has been adapted by EWTN News.
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