BREAKING: Opposition leader Peter Sule assassinated

The leader of the United Democratic Front (UDF) Peter Abdelrahman Sule has been assassinated between the border of South Sudan and Uganda.A military source in Nimule confirmed the death of Sule, together with other colleagues, but the identities of the other victims remain unknown. According to the source, Sule was extracted from the town of Adjumani straight into the hands of South Sudanese security intelligence.

The motive for Sule’s killing remains unknown. However, the South Sudan government detained Sule between 2011 and 2012. He was later released without any charges.

Last year, the South Sudanese government prevented Sule from travelling to peace talks in Addis Ababa. He had sought asylum in Uganda.

The death of Sule comes days after the murder of journalist Peter Moi Julius, who was killed several days after President Salva Kiir warned journalists against opposing his government in their articles.

“If anybody [journalists] does not know that this country has killed people, we will demonstrate it one day, on them. Freedom of the press does not mean you work against the country,” he said.

Soon after this murder, Kiir retracted the statement, with a source at the presidency saying he was quoted out of context.

“This was just a reminder to South Sudanese Journalists, not a threat of inhalation [sic] against Journalists as it was distorted,” the official statement said. “Nothing shall harm a Journalist when he/she is going about his/her journalistic profession.”