South Sudan government on Monday denied responsibility for the killing of six aid workers on Saturday, the deadliest single attack on aid workers in a three-year civil war.
The six died as they drove from the capital Juba to Pibor town, the United Nations said, through remote area largely under government control.
“For those unfortunate workers who have died, the government doesn’t have the policy of killing humanitarian staff, and I am sorry to say that, sometimes instead the government takes the responsibility. But I am not hearing people saying rebels and armed guys in the streets and roads in South Sudan should be held responsible,” said Martin Elia Lomuro, South Sudan’s Cabinet Affairs Minister.
For their part, rebel fighters loyal to former First Vice President Riek Machar said the government should be held accountable as the killings happened on its territory.
However, the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Moussa Faki Mohamat, condemned the killing of the aid workers and urged both the government and the rebels to protect all humanitarian workers in the country.
“We strongly condemned and denounce the killing of six humanitarian actors who have come here to help the people and yet they have been killed. We are appealing to the government and all other actors so that they can protect these humanitarian actors who are here to help the people of South Sudan,” he said.
Photo: South Sudan’s cabinet minister, Elia Lomuro speaks to reporters at Juba Airport on Monday, March 27, 2017(Radio Tamazuj)