Father cry as he reunite with his daughter who was one of abductees returned by Pibor Administrative Area - (Courtesy)

Authorities in Greater Pibor Administrative Area are due Wednesday to handover eleven children who were abducted from Kapoeta East’s Kawuto area in April 2024, Eastern Equatoria’s Governor has confirmed.

The attack has left 32 people dead with dozens of children reportedly abducted by armed Murle youth.

In recent weeks, GPPA authorities said they had recovered some children and were in the process of handing them over to their Eastern Equatoria Counterparts.

They also said efforts were ongoing to recover other children from Pibor villages.

On Wednesday, Governor Luis Lobong Lojore said confirmed eleven abductees -all children were being flown from Pibor to Kapoeta.

“We are in coordination with colleagues from greater Pibor to bring 11 children who were abducted during a bigger raid in Kawuto in April this year.

“According to him (Gola Boyoi, Pibor Chief Adminstrator), 11 children have been recovered. So, we are here waiting to receive them. Maybe after some hours, we will be able to receive them,” he said.

He says the community of Kapoeta has exercised calmness as they await for the Greater Pibor government to returned their abducted children, raided cattle and also bring the perpetrators to book.

They (affected community) are still patiently waiting. I know the people are very bitter and they are patiently waiting to hear whether the children will be brought or the cows will be returned or not.”

Aske about the looted cattle, Lobong said he was not sure whether the animals would be returned along with the 11 recovered children.

Two weeks ago, the information Minister of Greater Pibor Administrative Area said they were unable to arrest the abductors due to fear it may interfere recovering the children.