WHO health worker killed in Bentiu

JUBA — A health worker belonging to the World Health Organization (WHO) was on Monday shot dead by an unknown gunman in Bentiu town, the capital of South Sudan’s Unity State.

Officials speaking to Sudans Post said Dr. Daniel Deng Gatluak, 53, was killed at Bieh camp in Bentiu town at around 8:40AM when he was visiting health facilities at the camp hosting those displaced by floods.

“Dr. Daniel Deng Gatluak was killed this morning at around 8:40AM by people who are still at large at Bieh Camp. He was inspecting health facilities at Bieh and he was killed by gun there,” one official who do not want to be identified said.

Another health worker who said he has worked with Gatluak told Sudans Post the late medical doctor was working as WHO county supervisor for Guit County and was killed by people on grounds of revenge killing.

“He was from Guit County and he was the Guit County supervisor for the World Health Organization and the people who killed him are from Guit and did so because of sectional revenge issues and the authorities are looking for the culprits,” the health official said in Bentiu.

In a statement, activist Elijah Luk condemned the incident and called on the government to take measures to bring the culprit to justice saying continued killing undermine the ongoing transition in the world’s youngest country.

Luke said the killing of the doctor “jeopardize the revitalize peace agreement and create fears among the people’s unity.”