An SSPDF soldier was shot and killed when a vehicle he and others were traveling in was ambushed by armed men in Kikilai Payam of Budi County in Eastern Equatoria State on Sunday.
According to Major Justine Kleopus Takuru, the Eastern Equatoria State police spokesperson, the vehicle left Kikilai for Torit through Ikotos County when gunmen indiscriminately shot at it.
“We got information from an eyewitness who was in the car, Warrant Officer John Tor Jok of SSPDF. He said they were going from Ikotos to Kikilai where they bought some goats and they were on their way to Torit,” Maj. Takuru said. “But before they could even cover some distance, some people came from the bush and started spraying them with bullets. The deceased was in the car and his name is Jok Okwal Dhieu from Dinka. He was on top of the car with the goats and the bullet caught him there.”
He added: “The car did not stop but tried to continue moving to escape and after they covered some distance, they realized the soldier had died and we confirmed that the cause of the death was a bullet.”
The police said local chiefs in the area were contacted to establish those behind the attack.
Reverend Oryem Solomon Abalang, the chairperson of Eastern Equatoria State Inter-church Committee said all sectors should play a role in ending insecurity in the state.
“If all of us the church leaders, the government, other sectors play and community leaders play their roles, I think we will have a peaceful Eastern Equatoria,” Rev. Abalang said. “But you find the things that the church will do alone neglecting the government and vice versa. The only way is to build strong partnerships. We the church are ready to teach the population on their roles.”
He added: “The community leaders need to be trained because I am not very happy when money is spent on dialogues but no fruits are realized. If the government are ready to work with us we are ready to do what they want us to do.”
Last week, suspected cattle rustlers shot and killed two farmers and injured another in the Chukudum area of Budi County.