The Executive Director of Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO), Edmond Yakani, has issued an urgent plea to President Salva Kiir and top security officials to intervene in what he describes as a “city of terror” unfolding in Tombura County, Western Equatoria State.
Speaking on Sunday, Yakani said worshippers in Tombura town were forced to flee church mid-service after gunshots erupted on the western side of the town, just two days after armed soldiers attacked the local market, killing a member of the South Sudan People’s Defense Force (SSPDF) regional force. The unit, stationed in Tombura, is part of the East African peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
According to Yakani, the attacks have left some soldiers missing, civilians looted, and properties destroyed. “Ethnically targeted killings are being witnessed,” he said, citing the burning of homes, removal of solar panels, and intimidation of residents from specific ethnic groups.
The CEPO chief accused some local security forces of acting “above the law” and fueling political and ethnic tensions over administrative boundaries and leadership disputes. “This is politics destroying our social fabric,” he warned.
Yakani called for the immediate replacement of all security personnel in Tombura, the formation of a neutral investigative committee, and the prosecution of those responsible for the violence. He also vowed to publicly name individuals accused of orchestrating the attacks if action is not taken by September 12.
“This is not my voice, it is the voice of children feeling terrorized, elders asking if this is why we fought for independence, and women running from church into the bushes,” Yakani said. “Tombura is turning into a city of terror, and this must end now.”
He urged national and state leaders to prioritize civilian safety and restore peace before the situation spirals further out of control.
