Gunman kills 11 South Sudanese at Juba soccer game watch

November 6, 2016 (JUBA)- At least 11 people, mostly football fans, are reported dead in South Sudan’s capital, Juba, when a lone gunman opened fire at a group of people watching English Premier League football match on Saturday evening. 16 others wounded were also wounded.

The incident occurred at Gure, a suburb located south-west of Juba town. No suspect has been apprehended in connection to the incident since it took place on Saturday evening. No group or person has been able to come out to claim any responsibility for the attack.

There have also been conflicting accounts surrounding the circumstances and the manner in which the incident took place. Some eyewitnesses attributed the cause of shooting to disappointments with some football fans by other fans. The suspect, according to an eyewitness was upset by other fans when a team he supports was beaten and supporters of the rival team started mocking others in unfriendly manner, provoking a shooting at them.

Police spokesperson, Justin Daniel issued a statement on Sunday regretting the occurrence of the incident and said the security forces have launched a joint operation to hunt the suspect. Daniel called on the residents of Gure and Juba town to cooperate with the security forces in provision of any security related information, particularly people suspected to be carrying strange activities in residential areas.

The motive of the attack remains unclear. Police says they are in collaboration with other security forces in conducting ongoing investigations.

One of the survivors told Sudan Tribune on Sunday that he still does not believe he was alive.

“It was a butchery,” Mac Mawien, 23, still trembling after emerging from the attack, told Sudan Tribune on Sunday. “It looked like a battlefield. There was blood everywhere. There were bodies everywhere. I still don’t believe I survived it because I still see how the gunman carried out his carnage and I really don’t how I escaped this massacre”

Witnesses say more than 40 people were watching English Premier League game when the gunmen burst inside and opened fire about around 8:30 p.m. local time. Some witnesses heard someone say you will hear today before the gunman let loose a hail of bullets in a slow-motion massacre that shook the entire residential area.

“It lasted for 10 minutes,” said another survivor who managed to escape. “Ten horrific minutes where everybody was on the floor covering their head.

“People yelled, screamed. Everybody was on the floor covering their head,” Manut Deng Kuol added in an interview with Sudan Tribune. “We heard so many gunshots.

The gunman was very calm and very determined,” said Kuol. “He was shooting at people like as if they were birds.”

After the initial attack, a tense hostage situation played out inside the club. More than 50 people were believed to be trapped inside. According to eyewitnesses, despite prompt response from people living around and the security forces, the gunman got away.

(ST)