The police in the Western Equatoria State capital, Yambio, have launched investigations into the killing of a pregnant woman in the Ikpiro residential area on Thursday evening and said they are looking for the suspects.
Speaking to Radio Tamazuj on Friday morning, Major General Phillip Madut Tong, the State Police Commissioner, confirmed the incident and described it as tragic and deeply concerning.
“The woman was killed in a crossfire when criminals attacked a house belonging to a soldier,” he said. “Unfortunately, the soldier was not at home during the incident. A stray bullet hit the woman, and she died on the spot.”
The police chief added that no arrests have been made so far, but said that security forces have launched an investigation and are actively pursuing the perpetrators.
“We are working hard to identify and apprehend those involved,” he stated. “We urge the public to remain calm and report any suspicious movements. No forces are allowed to move in uniform with weapons without authorization, it is prohibited.”
For his part, Edward Aliminio Mombasa, the chief of Yambio Town Municipality, also confirmed the attack.
“At around 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, I heard gunshots coming from my neighbour’s house,” he narrated. “When we went to check, we found out that the house had been attacked, and a woman had been killed.”
According to the chief, residents noticed unusual movements of people near a small office in Ikpiro Market, where the attackers are believed to have gathered before launching the assault.
“One of the children in the neighbourhood saw the suspects. Sadly, the woman’s husband was not home during the time of the attack,” Chief Mombasa said. “Security forces later arrived with three vehicles and took the body to the hospital.”
He stressed the need for government action, calling on authorities to redeploy security forces to the area, saying their earlier withdrawal had created a security gap.
“When the soldiers were stationed in Ikpiro, such incidents never happened, so we urge the government to redeploy the forces to ensure community safety,” he appealed.
Meanwhile, a resident, Charles Abraham, told this publication that the community is still in shock, but that the situation had returned to normal.
“Apart from the incident, the night was calm,” he said. “We thank the state authorities for responding quickly and protecting the civilians.”
Police have urged the public to remain vigilant and cooperate with law enforcement personnel to bring the perpetrators to justice.