Ailing South Sudan army chief, Gen. James Ajongo Mawut has been confirmed dead in an Egyptian hospital.
Ajongo was said to have died on Friday morning after he battled with an illness for months. The cause of his death remains unclear.
Confirming his death in a statement Friday morning, South Sudan’s government said the sad event occurred in Cairo today morning.
Kiir’s statement read out by his information minister said “It is with a heavy heart that I announce the untimely death of General James Ajongo Mawut.”
“At this time, funeral details have not yet been confirmed, however,
we will share the details as they become available,” the statement reads in part.
The government announced three days of mourning and ordered the national flag to be flown at half-mast in the country.
Gen. Ajongo succeeded Paul Malong Awan who rebelled against the Kiir administration recently. Ajongo was appointed as the country’s army chief in May 2017.