Kidnapped priests released

You may recall that Fathers Joseph Mackwey and Sylvester Mogga were kidnapped from St. Josephine Bakhita parish in Rabak on January 15th in Sudan.  I am delighted to pass on the happy news that they were released January 30th.  At the time of their release they were in good condition.

Kidnappers demand $185,000 for release of two priests

The two priests recently kidnapped in Sudan are being held in the border town of Wadakona.  The kidnappers have now demanded 500,000 Sudanese pounds, the equivalent of 185,000 USD.

Two priests kidnapped in Sudan

Aid to the Church in Need reports that two priests, Father Joseph Wakwey and Father Sylvester Mogga, in Sudan were kidnapped on January 20, 2012 from the rectory of St. Josephine Bakhita parish in Rabak, which is south of Khartoum.
His Excellency the Most Reverend Daniel Adwok Kur, Auxiliary Bishop of Khartoum, reports Aid to the Church in Need,

criticized the Government of Sudan for appearing to brush off the kidnappings and saying that the abductors are “foreigners” who cannot be controlled.  

The bishop added, “Innocent people are not there to be brutalized and the authorities must be called to account for what is going on.”

The Agenzia Fides reported the kidnappers said the two priests would be released on January 17th, but as of the 18th they had not been freed, which also reports that

the kidnappers belong to a Shiluk militia, which attacked the parish, because according to them, an officer of the Sudanese People's Liberation Army (SPLA) was hiding, SPLA is the movement that fought for the independence of South Sudan and is currently in power in the new State.

According to the Vatican Insider, Bishop Adwok also condemned the increase of kidnappings in the region.
A meeting was to have been held yesterday afternoon to negotiate the release of the two priests, who are still alive and are being held in the border region between North and South Sudan.