By Makur Adut

Two primary school pupils were killed by armed criminals believed to be from Tonj East County, Warrap State on Sunday.

Commissioner of Tonj East County, Makur Dhuol, confirmed that the incident happened in a swampy area, and the victims were unarmed civilians.

“The report we have is that the attackers appear to have been spying and timing in the area. They killed the pupils in the swampy area within a forest,” he said.

Makur said there have been peace talks between Rumbek North and Tonj East County, a number of peace dialogues have been done between Pakam and Luacjang and the incident would complicate the dialogue programs.

He stated that the officers are still tracking down the culprits.

Meanwhile, Moses Maker Magok, Commissioner of Rumbek North County, explained that Sunday, February 23, some youths from Luacjang community of Tonj East County waylaid people within Rumbek North County, a few kilometers from the commissioner’s office.

“I received information after attending church service that the two boys who had been killed were students from Maper Boys Primary School,” the Commissioner said, he said revealing their identity as Mawut Malek Chol Marial Wol and Gok Mayuen Gok.

“They killed the two boys while six others escaped. When we got to the scene, we found the bodies of the two bodies,” he said, adding that the bodies were collected and buried on Monday.

The commissioner says he has spoken to the parents and relatives of the deceased and advised them against revenge killing. He called on the governments of Warrap and Lakes State to investigate and apprehend the killers.

“These must be people who came to revenge. That is why they target children. But we have to continue with the peace dialogues,” he said.

Civil society activist in Lakes State, Daniel Laat Kon, said that they were saddened by the killings.

“It is very unfortunate, especially considering that the community of Luacjang and Pakam were in a peace dialogue last year, and if you look at some of the resolutions that were agreed upon, they condemned revenge attacks and cattle raiding. All the cattle that were raided were to be returned to their rightful owners and to have peaceful coexistence among the communities,” he said.

The activist called on the two communities to implement these resolutions and for the affected side not to retaliate.