The authorities in Budi County in Eastern Equatoria State said they are investigating a shooting that led to the killing of two girls and a boy.
On Tuesday morning, unknown gunmen shot and killed three children aged 7, 10, and 15 at their home in Ngarich Boma in Loriok Payam.
County officials believe the killings were instigated by a desire for revenge.
Speaking to Radio Tamazuj on Thursday, Budi County Commissioner AKileo Mboya Peter said local authorities are steadfastly working to identify and arrest the killers.
“We are committed to ensuring that the culprits who killed those girls are identified and that is why we are now starting the investigation to find out the actors in that incident,” he said. “When we discover them, we will bring them to book.”
According to Mboya, poor roads are a major impediment to combating criminal activities in the county.
“Budi County is confronted by a serious lack of infrastructure; there are no roads that can make us move fast to ensure that people get services,” he lamented. “Such services include exercising justice and the rule of law, and if we cannot move to remote areas, it makes things difficult.”
On his part, Oreste Lopara, a national parliamentarian from the area, expressed shock over the killings and warned that there will be no development if the people do not cease senseless violence.
“These are the children of one person in Ngarich and it is the Didinga from Ngalam who killed them and now there is tension,” he said. “The children were at home and they were killed. We urge the authorities to go up to Ngalam and identify the suspects.”