South Sudan’s Ministry of Health issued a statement that 271 lives were lost in the fighting in Juba and Friday and the death toll is likely to rise.
According to the statement which became public on Saturday , and which several officials at the ministry of health and the main Juba Teaching Hospital have confirmed, said they have counted the number of people in their mortuary.
They said they counted 32 known civilians identified by family members among the dead.
The statement gives a break down showing 44 government soldiers, five police and 190 fighters believed to be SPLA-IO soldiers, given their distinctive military uniforms, died during the clashes which broke out the presidential palace on Friday.
It further added that 34 government soldiers and ten civilians, and five police were being treated for their injuries at Juba Teaching Hospital.
The Juba Military Hospital, according to the statement, was also treating 15 other civilians, while Peace Hospital, a private Chinese health facility in Juba, was treating two more.
Others were taken to private practices in Juba town if their families could afford it.
The ministry said more information will be made available as appropriate and said it regrets loss of lives.
“Health professionals are doing their best to ensure lives are saved and minimize the suffering,” the statement read. “The death toll is expected to rise as these are preliminary figure.”
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