1 dead, 4 wounded as SSPDF soldiers clash with protesters in Bentiu

JUBA – At least one person has been killed and four other people were wounded after members of South Sudan army’s 4^th Infantry Division opened fire against protesters who were demanding security after armed raiders from Ruweng Administrative Area’s Pariang County attacked an area in Guit County.

Yesterday, a senior local government official from Guit County of Unity State said armed criminals from neighboring Ruweng Administrative Area, launched an attack at dawn on Friday killing at least six people, before local youth could follow them to kill at least 23 of the attackers.

Residents of Unity State’s capital later on took to the street to demand security from the organized forces there, but the governor reportedly ordered the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces’ 4^th Infantry Division at Baar in Rubkona to disperse the protest resulting in the killing of one person and wounding of four other people.

“The governor himself is responsible for the killing of a protester and the wounding of four innocent people. What they were doing they were not asking for the governor to resign or to be dismissed, they were a group of citizens of the state asking their government to protect them against criminals from Ruweng,” and eyewitness said.

“But instead of responding to the calls by the citizen, the governor deployed South Sudan People’s Defense Forces, those untrained guys, from Baar military barrack in Rubkona and then they attacked the innocent people, they shot at them and killed one while wounding the other four,” the eyewitness added.

Another source has alleged that the governor is furious and blaming the commissioner of Guit County for standing behind the protest, “but we all know what was wrong that led to the citizens expressing their minds in a way that is even acceptable to the laws of our country.”