An aid worker who provided medicines to needy people in Akobo in South Sudan's Jonglei State was shot dead in unclear circumstances, Save the Children's CEO Janti Soeripto has announced in an email to staff.

“It is with great sadness that I write to inform you about the death of one of our staff members working in South Sudan. Yien Malouth, 25, worked as an Integrated Community Case Management (ICCM) Community Based Supervisor,” she wrote, explaining that Yien had helped provide medicines to children who do not have access to health care facilities.

She added that Yien “was tragically shot while walking to a coordination meeting near the Akobo market in Jonglei state, Great Upper Nile region. We are still investigating all the details, but it appears he was the intended target.”

Akobo is not currently a frontline area in South Sudan's civil war, but it has seen outbreaks of inter-clan violence.

Yien is survived by his wife and two year old son. He had worked for Save the Children for the past eight months. The organization's CEO said he was a “dedicated employee” who was committed to seeing positive changes in the lives of children and the community.

Save the Children is calling on local authorities in Akobo “and all those involved in such acts to protect civilian populations and ensure that humanitarian workers can perform their duties freely and safely.” The organization extended its condolences to the family, friend and colleagues.

More reports from Akobo:

19 children from Bor PoC reunited with their families in Akobo (24 Oct. 2015)

Radio Tamazuj correspondent killed in Akobo (21 May 2015)

Many cases of child malnutrition at Akobo hospital (10 May 2015)

New commissioner of Akobo East vows to improve relations with Murle (21 April 2015)