South Sudan’s ambassador to the United States, Santino Fardol W. Dicken, has accused his deputy, Angong Dhol Acuil, of physically assaulting him at the embassy in Washington.
The alleged altercation occurred on November 25, 2024, and was described by Fardol as a “violent attack.” He reported the incident to local police and addressed it in a formal complaint to South Sudan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation in Juba.
Images circulating on social media show the ambassador with blood around his mouth, purportedly from injuries sustained during the confrontation.
In his letter to the ministry, Fardol labeled the attack as both a personal affront and an insult to the authority of the South Sudanese state. He also accused Ambassador Angong, who is the daughter of Awut Deng Achuil, South Sudan’s minister of general education and foreign affairs, of fostering tensions at the embassy through ongoing misconduct and insubordination.
“I was violently attacked today, 25th of November 2024, injured and insulted by the Deputy Head of Mission, Ambassador Angong Dhol Acuil, within my office,” Fardol wrote in the letter, a copy of which was obtained by Sudans Post.
“This behaviour is unacceptable, mainly because it targeted me in my capacity as the Special Envoy of the President and Head of Mission,” he added.
Fardol further alleged that the altercation followed months of unresolved issues involving his deputy. He urged the ministry to take swift action to address the incident and restore order at the embassy.
