On Saturday at 7:00 PM, the congregation gathered at a local church in Pandit Amuol Boma when they were ambushed by community members.
The attackers, alleging the church engaged in harmful activities, threw stones and beat worshippers with sticks, forcing them to flee the area, according to Turalei Payam officials.
Nathaniel Nhial Deng, Twic County’s Executive Director, spoke to this outlet on Tuesday morning, confirming that furious community members assaulted the worshippers, leaving several injured.
“The attackers stoned them and beat some with sticks,” Deng said, noting that the church’s plot was legally allocated to the congregation in November 2024. He questioned what provoked the community’s sudden outrage against the worshippers.
To quell the violence, authorities deployed forces to restore calm, resulting in the arrest of 11 suspects now under investigation.
“We’ve detained 11 individuals who conspired against the worshippers, claiming the church is unwanted in the area. When asked why they took the law into their own hands, they provided no clear justification,” Nhial stated.
He emphasized that the church’s land was legally granted, underscoring the lack of basis for the attack.
Some Turalei residents allege that practices like prostitution occur within the church, claims the worshippers strongly deny.
Dr. Malong Abuluk, a nurse at Turalei’s Mother Teresa Hospital, confirmed that several worshippers injured during the Saturday incident were admitted to the facility but have since been discharged.
“The injured have been released, and their concerns will now be addressed in a court of law,” he said.
A similar incident occurred years ago in Gogrial East, Warrap State when a Seventh-day Adventist church was set ablaze.
The late Member of Parliament Salva Mathok gained attention for defending the act, accusing the church of promoting doctrines that clashed with community norms.
That event, like the recent attack, highlighted tensions between the church and residents, raising ongoing concerns about religious coexistence in the region.
