Warrap State Creates Investigation Team to Probe SDA Church Attack

(TWIC COUNTY) – Authorities in Warrap State have condemned a violent incident in Turalei Payam, Twic County, in which worshippers of the Seventh Day Adventist Church were assaulted and their church set on fire over the weekend.

The attack took place during a regular prayer service on Saturday, 5 July 2025, and involved a group of local residents who stormed the church demanding that the worship session be stopped.

According to the regional president of the Seventh Day Adventist Church in Greater Bahr el Ghazal, the congregants refused to halt their prayers, leading to a confrontation that quickly turned violent. The attackers reportedly beat several churchgoers and set fire to the church premises.

Speaking to media, Warrap State’s Minister of Information, Mamer Both, condemned the act and called it criminal. He announced that the state government is in the process of forming a committee to investigate the matter and bring those responsible to justice.

“We are preparing now to establish a committee to apprehend those criminals. That thing happened, and it is totally condemned by the state government. No arrests have been made yet,” he said.

The case has raised concerns about growing intolerance and repeated acts of violence targeting religious minorities in the region. This is not the first time the Seventh-Day Adventist Church has been attacked in the area.

In June 2025, a 15 year old boy was arrested in Aweil East County, Northern Bahr el Ghazal, in connection with another attack on a local Adventist church in War-Awar.

And in 2022, another Adventist church was burned down in Gogrial East, also in Warrap State, in an arson incident reportedly linked to the late Member of Parliament Salva Mathok.

The Seventh-Day Adventist Church is one of the minority Christian denominations in South Sudan, and its presence is spread across various parts of Bahr el Ghazal region.

Church leaders have urged the government to ensure the safety of their congregants and places of worship, especially in rural areas where law enforcement is limited.

Religious freedom is enshrined in South Sudan’s constitution, but local tensions and unresolved conflicts over land, tradition and faith practices have often led to isolated attacks. The government of Warrap State says it is committed to protecting all faith communities and promoting peaceful coexistence.

No monetary damage has been officially stated.

The table below provides context on similar reported incidents involving the Seventh Day Adventist Church in the Bahr el Ghazal region in recent years: