A hand grenade set off accidentally in Malakal market on Saturday wounded 21 people, according to authorities in Upper Nile.
A witness said that on Saturday an SPLA soldier accidently blew up the grenade at a shop selling cigarettes when he wants to pull out money from his pocket to pay the shop owner.
“I saw 21 people badly injured mostly in their legs and hands from the blast,” said John Amum, a journalist working for the government in Upper Nile State. He further added that most of the victims are women and men.
“My brother sustained serious injuries from the blast when he went to the market to buy some phone credit,” said a man called Otow.
He further told Radio Tamazuj that his brother is currently receiving treatment at Malakal Teaching Hospital.
According to a hospital official, 21 people were admitted after the blast including the soldier who pulled the pin on the grenade.
The incident caused panic in the market and the governor and his deputy rushed to the hospital to see for themselves the victims of the blast. An eyewitness said that no official made remarks during their visit in the hospital.
File photo by Radio Tamazuj: Raja market, South Sudan