On June 3, NIF troops shot dead the Episcopalian Deacon Abraham Yac Deng and enslaved two Episcopalian women  Elizabeth Adding Deng and Abuk Goch in the village of Ayien. Two of Mrs. Goch’s children were amongst the 25 members of the community who were enslaved. The NIF raiders damaged Ayien’s Episcopal Church, and burned 600 Bibles, which had been delivered in mid-May by the mission organisation, Voice of the Martyrs. Rev. Joseph Makuac Beck and Deacon Philip Ajing-both Episcopalians - witnessed the attack and narrowly escaped death 

On June 6, the NIF troops attacked the village of Turalei, and destroyed the destitute community’s only supply of medicines. Four days later, they raided the village of Maper where approximately 30.000 famine victims had gathered in anticipation of a World Food Program (WFP) distribution of grain. The number of those murdered and enslaved is not yet known. The raiders burned the WFP food aid. 

Last month, an estimated 2.000 Christians and animists were murdered or enslaved during an NIF offensive in Aweil West Country. On May 10, the Catholic lay Catechist, Benson Bak Bol , witnessed the murder of thirteen of his parishioners in the village of Agor while he hid in the bush. Five were shot in the head at close range. Eight were set alight in a grass hut. Catechist Benson also saw five children of one of his parishioners, Adeny Bol, tied up and taken away as slaves. His church building was torched. 

Rev. Santino Bol Akok, the resident Episcopalian clergyman in Manyiel parish, reported that 15 out of 38 Episcopal churches in Aweil West Country were burnt down by the NIF troops during the May offensive. He also said that 44 church members were enslaved and 48 were killed. Amongst the dead were five lay evangelists (James Akol, Gabriel Malual, Michael Lual, Peter Duang & Albino Dut). 

The National Islamic Front regime is waging a self-proclaimed jihad (Islamic holy war)against the religious and ethnic groups that resist its policy of forced Islamisation and Arabisation. Over 1.5 million people have died and over 5 million have been displaced out of a population of less than 8 million in the southern Sudanese war zone since 1983) 

Speaking to CSI representative during a visit to Sudan (June 11-19), the local Catholic and Episcopalian church leaders appealed to Christians throughout the world to help rebuild the destroyed churches and retrieve those who have been enslaved. CSI has called on the UN to establish a slave-tracing and retrieval program in Sudan. 

During this CSI visit to Sudan, 449 slaves were redeemed, and food and medicines were delivered to famine victims. 500 kg of the medicines were donated by the Anglican Diocese of Salisbury, which has a special relationship with the Episcopal Church of Sudan.