15 killed, including local officials in South Sudan

By Benjamin Takpiny

JUBA, South Sudan (AA) - At least 15 people were killed, including a county commissioner and deputy army commander, in an ambush in the Greater Pibor Administrative Area in South Sudan.

Abraham Kelang, the information minister of the Greater Pibor Administrative Area, confirmed to Anadolu that the deaths occurred Tuesday after a convoy was ambushed by youngsters.

"The ambush left four people injured and this is what happened, by what we found out that people who carried out the ambush are from Anyuak community and these are the same group who killed the commissioner last year with the director of National Security,” he said.

He said Commissioner Jeremiah Lothiboi and South Sudan People's Defense Forces deputy commander, Col. Kaka Thombum, were traveling from Takaro to Boma when they were attacked in Thort Payam as they returned from a visit to a village where four people were injured.

Kelang condemned the killings and said the state government sent condolences to the families of those who were killed.

He said relative calm returned to the area after security was stepped up along the attack route.

“After killing those people, they ran away and when the forces were dispatched to the crime scene, they were found that they ran away. Good enough, we have full details because the bodyguard of the commissioner shot down one of the attackers. We took the photo of the deceased at the crime scene,” said Kelang.

He said the government will deploy the armed forces in the area where the attack occurred to monitor the movement of youths who ambush and kill for no reason.