A government soldier has been arrested after he allegedly threw a hand grenade during the SPLA Day celebrations in Yirol town of Eastern Lakes State, injuring two people.

The state minister of local government and law enforcement agency Simon Tueny Mabor told Radio Tamazuj that the soldier was drunk when he threw the grenade.

“Yes, it is a soldier from our South Sudan People’s Defense Forces who was under influence of alcohol and was claiming some payment got angry and thrown grenade explosion injuring a woman and underage boy within Yirol town,” he said.

Tueny said the explosion caused panic and fear among the people of Yirol town but he assured them that there is no cause for alarm.

The SPLA Day is an official public holiday celebrated every 16th May where the army commemorates its anniversary with events across South Sudan, celebrating the formation of the former rebel movement on 16 May 1983.