Church leaders and politicians in South Sudan have used their Easter messages to urge an end to ongoing violence and call for lasting peace...

Church leaders and politicians in South Sudan have used their Easter messages to urge an end to ongoing violence and call for lasting peace across the country. Speaking in churches of different denominations, several religious figures blamed continued insecurity and sporadic killings on failures in leadership, as fears grow that the nation could slip back into large-scale conflict. The United Nations has repeatedly warned of the risk of renewed civil war. Tensions escalated further after last week’s deadly attack in Jebel-Iraq, near Juba, where 74 mine workers were killed by gunmen. Government and opposition groups have since traded accusations over responsibility. At St Theresa’s Cathedral in Juba, Auxiliary Bishop Santo Loku Pio urged worshippers to reject violence, even...