A bar fight between a civilian and a soldier of the Sudan People’s Liberation Army – Juba faction (SPLA-Juba) in Eastern Equatoria State resulted in retaliatory attacks on civilians in a nearby market and village, according to a local official.
The incident at Owinykibul “started at a merisa place – a bar,” the Magwi County commissioner told Radio Tamazuj today.
“People were drinking merisa or whatever at a bar. One of the civilians and one of the army – I don’t know if he was army or a recruit – they fought.”
He explained that after a civilian attacked a soldier with a knife other soldiers retaliated and beat people in the market, looted and even set fire to the market. “The incident spread into the village,” he said.
“They burned houses of people and carried out looting,” he said.
Until now nobody has been reported killed, he said, noting police were still investigating.