14 killed after ethnic violence erupted at Malakal IDP camp in South Sudan

MALAKAL, JUNE 8, 2023 (SUDANS POST) – At least fourteen people have been killed and sixteen others have been wounded after violence erupted between the Nuer and Shilluk communities inside Malakal IDP camp today, the UN mission and eyewitnesses say.

In a statement, the United Nations Mission in South Sudan said that the fighting erupted during the early hours of Thursday and confirmed that it has claimed the lives of at least 14 people with 16 others being treated for wounds.

“The United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) is gravely concerned about an eruption in tensions and deadly inter-communal fighting this morning in the UN Protection of Civilians (PoC) Site in Malakal,” the mission said in a statement seen by Sudans Post.

“Initial reports indicate that at least 14 persons have been killed and more than 16 wounded, with some of those injured receiving treatment at the Mission’s hospital.  The violence flared up in the early hours of Thursday morning, following a stabbing incident,” it added.

Speaking to Sudans Post, a camp resident said the fighting is a continuation of a confrontation between the Nuer and Shilluk communities which begun about a week ago when elements from the Shilluk community attacked and killed a man from the Nuer before setting him on fire.

“The fighting began at around 10:00AM this morning and it is still going on in some parts of the camp and some people who have been displaced from here have resolved to leave the camp and go outside. It all started six days ago when some men from the Shilluk community attacked a Nuer man and killed him and then put him on fire,” the displaced person said.

He said that the man was attacked after a girl from the Shilluk community was impregnated by relative of the victim.

“This is because of a girl, as we heard this information from relatives of the man who was killed and today’s fighting is continuation of the fighting last week,” he said, adding that the violence has claimed the lives of “about 30 people”.