A prison warder was killed and two civilians injured in an attack carried out by gunmen in Tonj County of South Sudan’s Tonj State on Saturday, a local official said.

Speaking Radio Tamazuj on Monday, the State Information minister, William Wol Mayom said the three persons were on a motorcycle when unknown gunmen attacked them between Aguka Payam and the county headquarters.

The minister identified the prison officer killed in the attack as Lino Juma Mathar, adding that among the injured civilians was the Aguka primary school head teacher, Angelo Bakum Juma.

The government official accused armed groups from the neighboring Gok State of involvement in Saturday’s attack. “This is the second incident of its kind carried out by gunmen from Gok," he said.

Mayom urged authorities in Gok State to arrest the criminals and willingly cooperate with them to improve relations between the two states, adding that security officers have been deployed to Aguka area to avoid other similar attacks.

Gok State authorities could not immediately be reached for comments.