Authorities in Bor say the shooting on Thursday outside the UN camp where 4,500 people are sheltering was within the police forces. An initial report that the Uganda army (UPDF) was involved was denied.
The UN reported Thursday that the Ugandan army exchanged fire with ‘Auxiliary Police’ in Bor, injuring one civilian hurt in the crossfire. UN staff went into bunkers and a crowd started panicking before the UN could calm them down.
Bor Commissioner Agoot Alier says the shooting did not involve Ugandan soldiers, denying that UPDF is even present in Jonglei state.
The commissioner told Radio Tamazuj the shooting was among the police in their barracks after they suspected some criminals were coming to attack them and they just started to fire bullets in the air but it did not last long, just a matter of minutes.
The commissioner added that Deputy Governor Baba Medan will release a full statement on Monday, since the reason for the shootings remained unclear.
Meanwhile, a medical source among the displaced in the Bor camp said he could not confirm that one of the displaced was injured, as had been reported by UNMISS.
“We heard guns shooting but we have no person injured among the displaced inside UNMISS camp due to that shooting,” Dr. William Oyual told Radio Tamazuj on Saturday.
Jonglei State Police Commissioner Gai Manyang declined to comment saying the situation should be commented on by a political authority.