Egyptian national killed in Rumbek by unknown gunmen

September 23, 2014 (RUMBEK) – Unknown gunmen killed an Egyptian national in Lakes state’s Wulu county on Tuesday.

The state’s criminal investigation department (CID) have confirmed the incident, saying that the Egyptian man had been shot by an armed group while travelling by road from Juba to Rumbek.

A policeman and one pastoralist were also killed during the incident.

“It is correct, [an] Egyptian man was killed and two people that comprise of one policeman and cattle keeper,” the officer said.

The officer said that the Egyptian man was en route to Western Bahr el Ghazal, but the circumstances of his death in Wulu had not yet been properly established properly due to the poor relationship between the state government and local communities in Rumbek, who refuse to share information on criminal matters with security agents on the ground.

The Egyptian man has been identified as Zecky Ali Syrian from Egypt, while Matur Cheng and Mangor Mayom have been named as the late cattle keeper and police officer respectively.

According to eyewitness accounts, a quarrel erupted between the pastoralist and police officer over their divergent views on Lake state’s military caretaker governor, Maj-Gen Matur Chut Dhuol.

It’s claimed the policeman’s comments in support of maintaining Dhuol in power provoked in pastoralist who opened fire, killing the officer instantly, with the Egyptian man also killed in the crossfire.

“The cattle keeper was angry [at the] policeman who said that they are coming to keep the governor in power – the policeman used abusive statements. The cattle keeper immediately opens his gun and gunned down [the] policeman and Egyptian man,” said an eyewitness to the incident.

Activists in Rumbek said this latest incident could poses not only a significant regional economic threat, but could also put South Sudan’s foreign relations at risk.

Activist Moses Ater has urged the central government to respond to public demands for the governor’s removal and to speed up the disarmament process.

There are also calls for pending murder cases to be heard to ensure those responsible for committing such crimes are brought to justice.

Lakes state continues to be locked in a worsening cycle of violence, including cattle raids, highway attacks and tribal revenge killings.

However, president Salva Kiir Mayardit has so far ignored public demands for the caretaker governor to be removed.

(ST)