Authorities in Ajak Kuac of Warrap State said a soldier belonging to the South Sudan Defence Forces (SSPDF) was shot and killed by unknown gunmen last Saturday in the Bumbi locality at the border of Warrap and Unity states.
The soldier identified as Mayar Ungop from the SSPDF’s Division 4 was reportedly shot dead while he was collecting poles to construct his hut at the nearby army camp.
Maker Marrik, the Executive Director of the defunct Ajak Kuac County, said, yesterday there was an accident that happened along Bumbi Road, one of our soldiers who had strolled to the forest was killed and also a truck driver, a Somali national, was attacked.”
“The killing of the soldier was on 23rd and the attack on the truck was on 24th January. The incident occurred along the road to Bentiu. We have not arrested anybody, these criminals hit and run,” Marrik said. “They killed the soldier and they went away and also when they hit the driver of the truck taking fuel to the oil fields yesterday, they also ran away. These bandits lay ambushes along the road intending to extort money and rob cell phones and money. The attackers could be from Mayom.”
He said the wounded driver has been treated at the Anaat MSF health facility in the Abyei administrative area and he has proceeded to the oil fields.
According to Marrik, armed youth from neighboring Mayom County of Unity State are prime suspects.
However, the Executive Director of Mayom County, Gadet Gany, refuted the allegations.
Gadet said the deceased soldier was reportedly beaten with the sticks and later on shot dead by his executioners. He exonerated his people, claiming that people from Mayom County do not practice that form of killing.
“No, it is not people from Mayom. It is not our people for sure, if people were having a grudge with the victim and acted that way then it is not people from Mayom, because there is a report indicating that that person was first hit with sticks and later on shot dead and the sticks were put beside him. Such killing is not done by my people, it is not the practice of people from this area,” Gadet insisted.
People from Ajak Kuac County of Warrap State have repeatedly accused their neighbors from Mayom County of Unity State of cross border killing and cattle raiding.
On the 16th of this month, three people were killed in Ajak Kuac and over 90 cattle were raided by armed youth suspected to be from Mayom County.
About 20 cattle were later recovered according to local authorities from Ajak Kuac County and none of the attackers have so far been arrested in connection with the killing and cattle raids.