Unknown gunmen have killed five local gold miners in Kapoeta South County of South Sudan’s Eastern Equatoria State, authorities said on Thursday.

The incident took place on Tuesday in the area of Nakwasigirya, which is located about 30 kilometres south of Kapoeta town.

 “Armed criminals came to the gold mining area, shot five people dead and escaped. We don’t know who these armed criminals are,” David Eriga, the secretary-general of the now-defunct Kapoeta State, told Radio Tamazuj on Thursday.

“The following day, a team visited the area and investigations are now ongoing. All the five victims hailed from the Toposa speaking group,” he added.

Paul Napwon Yonai, a Member of Parliament representing the area in the state legislative assembly, confirmed the incident.

He accused the neighbouring Didinga community of carrying out the attack, allegedly in retaliation for a previous attack which took place last month.

“According to those who followed footmarks on the same day when the incident happened, they went that side of Ngauro,” he explained.

For his part, Augustino Merri, the Didinga community chairperson in Kapoeta confirmed the attack but denied his community’s involvement in the incident. He said a committee had been set up to investigate the killing of the gold miners.

Last month, unknown gunmen ambushed a commercial vehicle on the road between Ngauro and Kapoeta, killing four passengers.