SPLA officer gunned down in Northern Liech state

April 3, 2016 (BENTIU) – A military officer from the South Sudanese army (SPLA) has been gunned down by unknown gunmen in Chaalual village of Rubkotna county in the newly created Northern Liech state, curved from Unity state.

A Lieutenant Colonel, whose identity was not revealed, was killed on Friday by a group of armed persons, eyewitness and state officials told Sudan Tribune.

Eyewitnesses who spoke on condition of anonymity described the official’s death as act of intentional target after he was allegedly commanding government’s forces last year in their alleged operations against civilians in the oil rich Unity state.

A source who identified himself as ‘Andrew’ told Sudan Tribune over the phone interview that the official was killed on Friday while he was in the area for his marriage occasion. Andrew believed the official’s movement was tracked and coordinated after he left from the state’s capital, Bentiu, to the village.

Lam Tunguar Kweigwong, information minister for Northern Liech state, has confirmed to Sudan Tribune the death of the SPLA official and accused armed groups associated with the armed opposition faction of the Sudan Peoples’ Liberation Army (SPLA-IO) over the responsibility.

“We have heard that this official was killed when he was in an arrangement of his marriage. But what we know the perpetrators may be criminal gangs that could be linked to SPLA-IO,” he said.

He claimed that on the same day different groups went and attacked Chaal villages, just some few kilometres away from Rubkotna county.

However, Major Weirial Puok, official information secretary for the SPLM-IO’s appointed governor of Unity state, dismissed the accusation that their forces were responsible for the murder.

“This is not true. Our forces remain honouring the peace and there is no way we can keep targeting the SPLA who are our peace partners. We are urging the state government to refrain from harmful and unhealthy propagandas,” he said.

He also added that the state government should investigate the death of their official, adding that the murder occurred inside a territory controlled by the government, demanding proof to support the allegation against the SPLA-IO.

Although calm has returned between the armed opposition and the government forces and stopped attacking each other, individual target remains high within Unity state.

Last week, 18 other people were killed in several ambushes in Northern Liech state as they were travelling from Bentiu to the newly created state.

(ST)