The UN Children’s Agency (UNICEF) says it is in shock following the killing of humanitarian staff from its partner organization long the Juba-Pibor road over the weekend.
The aid workers, from a Grassroots Empowerment and Development Organisation (Gredo), which works to support children released from armed groups, were attacked on Saturday.
“All of us at UNICEF are shocked by the senseless killing of staff belonging to our partner organization, the Grassroots Empowerment and Development Organization,” said UNICEF in a statement on Monday.
“We are appalled that humanitarians working to improve the lives of the vulnerable in South Sudan were so brutally targeted and call on the authorities to find and hold accountable those responsible,” it added.
The UN agency offered its deepest condolences to the families and colleagues of the victims.
South Sudan government on Monday denied responsibility for the killing of the aid workers, the deadliest single attack on aid workers in a three-year civil war.
Photo: UNMISS and CTSAMM assessment team goes to scene where aid workers were killed (UNMISS/Isaac Billy)