Sisters killed; President Kiir: "The groups that did not sign the peace are responsible for their death"

Juba (Agenzia Fides) - The groups that did not sign the peace agreement are, according to the South Sudanese President Salva Kiir, responsible for the deaths of the two nuns of the Congregation of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, killed who, along with three other people, were killed in a road ambush on August 16 on a bus along Juba-Nimule Road (see Fides, 18/8/2021).

The Head of State attributes the attack to the so-called "holdout groups", as the non-signatories of the Revitalised Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan (R-ARCSS) are called.In his statement, President Kiir said the murder of the five "innocent civilians" shows the lack of commitment to peace among those who did not sign the September 2018 peace agreement, and threatens that his government may have to "reconsider its position on the Rome Initiative led by Sant'Egidio community".

The South Sudanese President adds, referring to the five South Sudanese killed during the road ambush on August 16: "The responsibility for their death rests solely with the holdout groups, and the revitalized interim government of national unity strongly condemns this act of terrorism".Meanwhile, Pope Francis also expressed his condolences on the deaths of Sister Mary Daniel Abut and Sister Regina Roba of the Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in a telegram on Tuesday August 17th. "It was with great sadness that I learned of the brutal attack on a group of Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, in which Sister Mary Abud and Sister Regina Roba were killed - reads the telegram, sent through Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Secretary of State, to Mgr. Mark Kadima, of the Apostolic Nunciature in South Sudan. "Confident that their sacrifice will advance the cause of peace, reconciliation, and security in the region" - Pope Francis "prays for their eternal rest and the comfort of those who grieve their loss". (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides, 19/8/2021)