South Sudan’s army has arrested a suspect in connection with the killing of a United Nations staff member in the town of Wau last week, the foreign ministry said on Saturday.
Bol Rhoch Mayol Kuol, a language assistant with the U.N. Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), was killed on Dec. 15 while in detention in Western Bahr el Ghazal State, the ministry said in a statement seen by Radio Tamazuj.
The ministry said it “unequivocally condemns this heinous crime,” describing attacks on U.N. personnel as unacceptable and a violation of national law. It offered condolences to Kuol’s family and to UNMISS.
It commended the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF) Division Five for what it called the swift arrest of the suspect, but did not identify the individual or provide details on the circumstances of the killing.
The government said it was taking “decisive steps” to ensure those responsible are brought to justice and reaffirmed its commitment to cooperating with the United Nations in the investigation.
UNMISS said on Friday it condemned the killing of its staff member while in detention in Wau.
Sources in Wau told Radio Tamazuj that Kuol, a South Sudanese national, was detained by SSPDF soldiers during a U.N. patrol in the Masna Talib area, south of Wau town, and was taken to a military base, where he later died.
Local reports said the army was conducting operations against opposition forces in the Maleng area at the time.
UNMISS, established in 2011, is mandated to protect civilians, monitor human rights and support South Sudan’s political transition. Attacks on U.N. and humanitarian workers have been a recurring concern amid the country’s prolonged instability.