During a South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF) intervention to quell a fight using wooden sticks among youth groups in the Kalthok area of Awerial County, one civilian was shot dead and dozens sustained injuries on Saturday.
Awerial County Commissioner Philip Mawut Garang told Radio Tamazuj on Monday that two suspects have been arrested, and an investigation into the cause of the youth clashes during a wrestling match is underway. Matuyub Makuei Arieth is the identified civilian casualty, while the number of injured individuals remains unspecified.
“The situation has been stabilized, and we’ve deployed forces to prevent any additional confrontations among the youth using sticks. Currently, we are in the midst of an investigation. Due to security threats, we couldn’t confirm the exact number of injuries. We are actively working to determine the cause of the fighting,” Philip said.
“People were engaged in wrestling, and the government has not yet identified the root cause. We are gathering evidence, and suspects have already been apprehended. As of now, only civilians have been arrested. If there are any complaints against the military later on, appropriate actions will be taken,” he clarified.
“The exact number of people injured is still unconfirmed as we are relying on hospital reports, and we await the final findings from the investigating committee,” stated Commissioner Philip
. He emphasized, “The civilians involved in the altercation were unarmed, using only wooden sticks for physical confrontation; no firearms were present.”
Garang mentioned that he has communicated with the grieving family of the deceased, and they have agreed to let the investigation proceed without further incident.
The commissioner emphasized the peaceful nature of the community. He urged the community to await the conclusive investigation results, advising against seeking information from other communities. Any grievances should be directed to the government for resolution, he added.