By Correspondent

Three girls were reportedly abducted by suspected gunmen while traveling between Walgak and Lankien on Sunday.

Puok Nyang, the County Commissioner in Akobo expressed concerns, especially with the increased targeting of women and children in the spring of abductions in the area.

He revealed the age of the abducted girls to be between 14 to 16 years, from Walgak, in Akobo County.

According to the commissioner the incident was in contravention to the agreement made during a meeting in Juba and Pieri in September. He revealed that 12 children have been abducted in the area over the past three months.

“If nothing is urgently done to address this series of abductions, the peace we have built will be in jeopardy,” the commissioner was quoted as saying.

Meanwhile, in a separate incident in Ayod County, in the same state of Jonglei, authorities reported that two children who had been abducted by suspected criminals from Greater Pibor Administrative Area were recovered by youth patrolling the county.

The children, who were reportedly abducted at 11 pm on Wednesday night, were rescued at 12 noon.

James Chuol Jok, the commissioner of Ayod county told The City Review on Thursday that the suspected abductors were from Pibor areas.

“We have carried out many peace processes between the people of Jonglei state and Greater Pibor Administrative Area but they have not resulted to tangible outcomes. We need to do more to ensure that we keep out promises and end these practices,” he said.

The government of Jonglei State has overtime managed to recover and return many abducted children to their families.  

A great milestone was made when an inter-communal peace deal was brokered between Pibor and Uror-Pieri to facilitate return of abducted children. Many organizations, especially those concerned with matters and welfare of children, have been at the forefront in fighting the practice.