The fragile calm in Tombura was shattered when unidentified gunmen stormed a home in Bavuru Boma, killing a husband and wife in cold blood.
The victims identified as Edward Gbondo of the Zande community and his wife Adali Elizabeth, a Balanda were shot dead around 11 p.m. at their residence in the Nagito (Alessio) area, just five kilometers from Tombura town.
“People are suffering, and innocent civilians are being killed. We want the government to investigate the root causes and find lasting solutions,” said a local eyewitness who sounded alarm over the rising insecurity.
Police Commissioner Maj. Gen. Phillip Madut Tong confirmed the attack, noting that the killers fled the scene and remain at large.
He urged communities to “report criminals and suspected individuals to the authorities to help prevent such crimes.”
The double murder is the latest in a string of violent incidents haunting Tombura County in recent months:
Mass Displacement in August: Hundreds fled Tombura to Wau in Western Bahr El Ghazal after renewed gunfire in villages of Nagero, Boo, and Tombura Payam. Many arrived empty-handed, seeking shelter as Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).
Earlier this month, religious and community leaders urged the new Western Equatoria State leadership to prioritize reconciliation between the Zande and Balanda after repeated flare-ups of violence.
Despite assurances, residents say the fear is real. One source who requested anonymity told our reporter.
“The town is calm, but people cannot move freely outside. Everyone is afraid another attack could happen anytime.”
Relatives initially refused to collect the woman’s body, citing safety concerns, until it was later transferred to the police. No arrests have been made so far.
With violence resurging and communities divided, Tombura finds itself once again at a crossroads between peace and an entrenched cycle of revenge killings.
