2 Carmelites survive ambush on highway where bandits killed Catholic sisters in South Sudan

The sisters were traveling from Torit toward Juba on Aug. 30 when their vehicle came under attack.

TORIT, South Sudan — Two members of the Order of Discalced Carmelites serving in South Sudan’s Diocese of Torit have survived an ambush by armed bandits along the Juba-Torit highway five years after two sisters of the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus were killed by armed men on the same route.

According to local Catholic media, the sisters, identified as Sister Helen and Sister Ansa, were traveling from Torit toward Juba on Aug. 30 when their vehicle came under attack near Jebel Gutun in the Lirya area.

Radio Emmanuel 89 FM reported that the two Carmelite members had departed Torit after morning Mass and were on their way to Juba when they encountered the attackers.

One of the attackers reportedly struck Sister Helen on the head during the incident. The report did not provide further information about the extent of any of her injuries. The sisters and other passengers were reportedly robbed of all their belongings.

Preliminary reports also indicated that two children were abducted during the incident. There was no further information on their whereabouts.

Upon receiving the information about the attack, Bishop Emmanuel Bernardino Lowi Napeta of the Torit Diocese is said to have immediately arranged for assistance from Juba. According to Radio Emmanuel, the sisters were transported to Juba, where Sister Helen was to receive further medical attention.

The circumstances surrounding the attack, including the number and identity of the assailants and their motive, remain unclear.

The incident has renewed concern about security along the Juba-Torit highway, where attacks and ambushes have previously been reported, particularly around the Jebel Gutun area. Local reports have described the stretch as a security concern for travelers.

Previous attack on Catholic sisters

Catholic religious were among five people who died Aug. 16, 2021, in a bus ambush along the highway that links South Sudan and Uganda.

Armed men ambushed a vehicle carrying seven religious sisters and five other people after they had attended centenary celebrations at Our Lady of the Assumption Parish in Loa in the Diocese of Torit.

Sister Mary Daniel, the immediate former superior general of the Sacred Heart Sisters of the Juba Archdiocese who was serving as the head teacher of Usratuna Primary School in Juba, and Sister Regina, a tutor and administrator at the Catholic Health Training Institute in South Sudan’s Wau Diocese, were among those killed.

The late Pope Francis was among those who expressed his condolences to the families and the members of the Sacred Heart of Jesus of the Juba Archdiocese.

The pope expressed the hope that the sacrifice of the two Catholic sisters “will advance the cause of peace, reconciliation, and security in the region” and implored God for “their eternal rest and the comfort of those who grieve their loss.”

The Diocese of Torit has previously spoken out against violence affecting Church personnel and communities.

In April 2025, Napeta, the local ordinary of Torit, condemned an attack on Our Lady of Assumption Parish in Loa, Magwi County, in which a civilian was killed and another person injured.

The bishop described the assault as creating a “climate of fear and anxiety” and called for an impartial investigation.

He said the attack involved personnel of the South Sudan Peopleʼs Defence Forces and that Church personnel, workers, and residents were subjected to intimidation and questioning. He called on the countryʼs armed forces to uphold professionalism, justice, human rights, and respect for religious institutions.

The bishop has also repeatedly emphasized the Churchʼs commitment to peace and service despite insecurity affecting communities in his episcopal see.

Church continues mission amid insecurity

Despite the security challenges, the Diocese of Torit continues its pastoral and social mission across eastern Equatoria.

In January, Napeta described Holy Family Palotaka Parish, which was celebrating its centenary, as a “refuge of hope” and a center of peace-building for local communities.

He highlighted the Churchʼs role in evangelization, charity, and service to people affected by decades of conflict.

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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