Unknown gunmen in military uniform killed a woman and kidnapped her son on Wednesday night in Rajaf Payam near the Juba-Nimule Road, just 23 kilometres away from Juba.

Speaking to Radio Tamazuj, Major William Gai Bany responsible for Nesitu Police Station confirmed the incident and said it happened after midnight on Wednesday.

“They need a child, and when the mother complained they shot her in the abdomen and ran away. They kidnapped a child and killed a woman. I put that woman on the car and tried to take her to hospital but she died before reaching,” he said.

According to Major Bany, this was not the first time gunmen came to the area. “This is common. All these surrounding areas have the same problem – they take children and kill people,” he said.

Ayor Philip, a neighbor, said the culprits are not known but are suspected to be Murle tribesmen. The police commander however said he could not confirm if the gunmen were Murle. “No, I did not see it with my naked eyes. I did not see it with my eyes so that I can not tell it is a certain tribe.”

Santino Akol, one of the soldiers who was on the scene, explains what happened: “Around 11:00 p.m. I heard a sound of a bullet while it was raining and I crossed the tarmac road and I saw red bullets blazing this direction (southern part of Sherika local market).”

“I came in the middle and they began shooting in my direction. I saw a woman shot and I asked her not to move any more but she did and they shot her in her stomach and I saw her intestines come out,” he said.

Akol said he saw a tall man in a military uniform carrying a child. He said he fought with them until his bullets were finished and said he narrowly survived.

More forces have now been deployed, according to Major Williams Gai, and families are being advised not to allow children to move alone at night.

“People are now alert. I have told this village that if any woman or man is living far from where there are no people they should bring their children to where people are,” said Bany.

Radio Tamazuj could not reach the family of the deceased because of their remoteness from where incident took place.