2 Carmelites survive ambush on highway where bandits killed Catholic sisters in South Sudan

TORIT, South Sudan — Two members of the Order of Discalced Carmelites serving in South Sudan’s Diocese of Torit have survived an ambush by armed bandits along the Juba-Torit highway five years after two sisters of the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus were killed by armed men on the same route.

According to local Catholic media , the sisters, identified as Sister Helen and Sister Ansa, were traveling from Torit toward Juba on Aug. 30 when their vehicle came under attack near Jebel Gutun in the Lirya area.

Radio Emmanuel 89 FM reported that the two Carmelite members had departed Torit after morning Mass and were on their way to Juba when they encountered the attackers.

One of the attackers reportedly struck Sister Helen on the head during the incident. The report did not provide further information about the extent of any of her injuries. The sisters and other passengers were reportedly robbed of all their belongings.

Preliminary reports also indicated that two children were abducted during the incident. There was no further information on their whereabouts.

Upon receiving the information about the attack, Bishop Emmanuel Bernardino Lowi Napeta of the Torit…