Fresh violence claimed the lives of two Protestant Christians on Wednesday night, October 13. Yahya and Sakeus were attacked by unknown sword-wielding assailants as they walked along a crowded street in Jono Oge, Donggala district, a village 20 km from Southeast Sulawesi’s provincial capital of Palu. Yahya died on the spot from serious wounds to the neck, while his fellow villager died as he was being rushed to a nearby hospital.
Police was deployed at both Donggala and Poso, two villages which have been torn by sectarian clashes between Protestant Christians and Muslims in the last few years.
Donggala Police Chief Sismantoro told journalists that his investigators were pursuing some leads but gave no further details as to who was behind the attack and why.
Jono Oge is a predominantly Christian village known for its pig farming. Wednesday night’s attack was the second one in the last eight months. In March, violence claimed at least another villager, while two others suffered from serious injuries.