Several dead bodies were seen floating on the River Nile downstream from Juba since the outbreak of violence in the city last Sunday, eyewitnesses told Radio Tamazuj.

A resident of Gabat on the eastern bank of the Nile said that they have seen many bodies floating on the river. The sightings have been less frequent since fighting in the capital eased, but are still continuing.

Speaking to Radio Tamazuj, an eyewitness who visited the area to check on his family since the fighting broke out in the town said that he too saw five bodies being taken by the water northward.

“It is not good to see what I saw – five bodies taken away by running water,” he said. “I cannot tell if the bodies were for soldiers or civilians.”

For his part, a fisherman who went to check his nets since the fighting broke out said he saw some bodies floating on the water. “I saw some fresh bodies floating on the water on Wednesday. The bodies were for civilians,” he said.

The witness accounts suggest that in spite of the overall drop in violence in Juba there are still killings ongoing that may not come to the notice of the government.

“Gunfire in Juba is down then why are dead bodies still floating on the river?” questioned the fisherman, who refused to mention his name.