The whereabouts of Western Equatoria State’s former governor, Gen. Alfred Futuyo Karaba, remained unknown on Wednesday, two days after he fled Yambio town following gunfire at his residence on Monday night, his party said.
The attack came after President Salva Kiir’s decision to dismiss Gen. Futuyo from his position as governor of Western Equatoria State. Kiir also dismissed Health Minister Yolanda Awel Deng. Both Gen. Futuyo and Awel are members of the opposition SPLM-IO, led by First Vice President Riek Machar.
On Monday evening, President Kiir issued a series of decrees unilaterally removing several senior government officials appointed under the 2018 peace agreement.
Pouk Both Baluang, acting press secretary in the office of First Vice President Riek Machar, told Radio Tamazuj on Wednesday afternoon that the whereabouts of the former governor remained unknown after he fled Yambio, the capital of Western Equatoria State.
“Until now, we have been unable to reach Gen. Alfred Futuyo. However, we are in contact with his family because, after the attack on his residence by elements linked to the SSPDF, who were dressed in civilian clothes, two of his children went missing. But the two children were found later in the UN camp,” Pouk said.
“We are working to locate the former governor but he is not in the UN base. As you know, it is difficult because he is still being targeted by the SSPDF. It is also hard for us to contact him as his phone cannot be reached,” he added.
“But I can assure the public that we are in touch with the family of the former governor. We are coordinating efforts to ensure the family is handed over to the UN in Juba and to guarantee the protection of SPLM-IO officials in Western Equatoria.”
According to Pouk, the attacks in Western Equatoria also targeted the information minister, finance minister, and county commissioner.
“The deputy governor of Western Equatoria has assured us that no one will be targeted and that building trust and confidence during this time is essential, regardless of ethnic and political affiliation. This assurance was given following a direct phone conversation between the deputy governor and the First Vice President on Tuesday,” he said.
However, Pouk added that they were surprised by an attack on one of the SPLA-IO cantonment sites by SSPDF forces in Western Equatoria on Wednesday morning, without providing further details.
Separately, Pouk dismissed reports circulating on social media claiming that the SPLM-IO threatened to withdraw from the Transitional Government of National Unity if the dismissed health minister and governor were not reinstated within 24 hours.
“The statement circulating about an alleged threat to withdraw from the transitional government is fake. I would like to confirm that it is fabricated,” he concluded.
