CUEIBET–A nurse has been critically wounded after armed men opened fire at Cueibet County Hospital in South Sudan’s Lakes State on Thursday evening in what authorities suspect was a revenge attack linked to the death of a patient at the facility.
The victim, identified as Santino Mayom Kau, was shot in the chest at around 5 p.m. while on duty. He is a nurse working with ILpara Health International and was evacuated to Rumbek State Hospital for treatment.
Simon Makoi Malek, the chief medical officer of Cueibet County Hospital, said the attack followed the death of a man who had been shot and wounded in Malou-Pech Payam before being taken to Cueibet Hospital for treatment.
According to Malek, the deceased man’s relatives became angry and attempted to kill the nurse, apparently believing that the people responsible for their relative’s death came from Malou-Pech Payam.
“There was a person who was shot and wounded in Malou-Pech Payam and when he was evacuated to Cueibet Hospital, the person died. This is what angered the relatives of the deceased within the hospital and they wanted to kill the doctor. They thought that those who killed their loved one might be from Malou-Pech Payam,” he said.
Malek said the nurse was shot in the chest but survived after the bullet exited his body. He confirmed that the victim was receiving treatment at Rumbek State Hospital.
Lakes State Caretaker Minister of Information, Communication, Youth and Sports William Koji Kirjok said the suspected assailants have not been arrested and remain at large.
He said preliminary information from people who witnessed the incident suggested it was linked to revenge killings.
“According to primary investigation from the people who were around him, they said these people are known and the case is related to revenge,” he said.
Kirjok condemned the attack and called on authorities to ensure those responsible are brought to justice, saying revenge killings were not tolerated under the state’s customary laws.
He said the government was working with chiefs, community leaders, intellectuals and politicians in Cueibet County to address revenge killings and encourage communities to resolve disputes through established legal institutions.
“Instead of promoting law being taken into the hands of individuals, people should report such cases because there are police and courts at all levels,” he said.
Daniel Laat Kon, chairperson of the Civil Society Organizations Network (CISON) in Lakes State, condemned the attack and called on the state government to address persistent revenge killings in Cueibet County.
He urged authorities to apprehend those suspected of carrying out the attack and hold them accountable.
Laat also called for the disarmament of civilians, warning that recurring revenge attacks continued to threaten security in the county.
Lakes State has experienced recurring revenge killings and intercommunal violence, particularly in Cueibet County, where disputes over cattle, land and personal grievances have often escalated into retaliatory attacks.
The violence has been compounded by widespread access to firearms, weak law enforcement and difficulties in resolving disputes through formal justice systems.
