Machar’s wife escapes assassination attempt in South Sudan

December 30, 2008 (KHARTOUM) – The wife of a senior South Sudan official escaped unharmed after an unidentified gunman pulled a gun at her but did not fire, a newspaper reported today.

The London based Al-Sharq Al-Awsat daily said that state minister of energy Angelina Mang was in the Unity state when the incident took place.

The newspaper said that the assassin was taken into custody before he could fire any shots at the Sudanese official.

Mang, who is the spouse of South Sudan Vice president Riek Machar, told the newspaper that the motives behind the assassination attempt is political though she did not accuse anyone of standing behind it.

However she identified the assassin as a member of the Sudan People Liberation Movement (SPLM) in Alair area.

Al-Sharq Al-Awsat said that the incident is part of a power struggle within the Nuer tribe between Machar and the governor of the Unity state Taban Deng.

Deng has in the past accused Machar of attempting to remove him from office and make his wife the governor of this oil rich state.

(ST)