At least two soldiers were killed by unidentified armed men in the Camp 15 area of Budi County in Eastern Equatoria State on Saturday last week.
The soldiers whose names have not been revealed were reportedly escorting cattle and vehicles from different places.
One of the deceased soldiers was among others escorting animals from Kapoeta to Torit through Camp 15 when they fell into an ambush. According to authorities, 14 head of cattle were also stolen but later recovered.
Alfred Odong, Budi County Executive Director said, “Yes, we also learned of that. You know Camp 15 is far away from us here (Chukudum). We understand one soldier was killed, the escort of one of the lorries. Those people who took the cattle from here so they escorted the cows and got shot just within Camp 15 at that small stream.”
Meanwhile, David Eriga, the Secretary-General of Kapoeta confirmed the incident happened Saturday as the soldiers were escorting about one thousand three hundred head of cattle to Torit.
“That thing happened the day before yesterday (Saturday). They were escorting cattle and they were ambushed which resulted in the death of one soldier,” Eriga said. “They were many, the number of cattle they were escorting was over 1,600. They took 14 but those cattle were all recovered. They are local youth, criminals from within. The government is still investigating who those criminals are.”
He also revealed that another soldier escorting vehicles from Ikwoto to Kapoeta was killed by unknown gunmen an hour after the first killing along the same area.
“At the same time, another incident happened. One soldier escorting vehicles from Ikotos was also shot the same day within a difference of an hour coming to Kapoeta also around Camp 15 area,” Eriga said. “Since yesterday, vehicles have been traveling. We even received vehicles from Torit and Juba. What I will tell the public is that those are criminals that come on and off. We are looking for them.”
Meanwhile, Lopeyok Augustino, the Budi County youth leader when contacted over the matter, said he is yet to get clear information about the incident.
Recently, some armed men stormed Kidepo Wildlife Base and killed a 41-year-old Buya man identified as Michael and his wife and children, and the footmarks, according to authorities, led to Ikwoto County.
On April 28, a pupil was killed by a colleague after picking up a quarrel at a place known as Farasika in Ngari Payam of Budi County of South Sudan’s Eastern Equatoria State.