By William Madouk
Over the weekend, an intense fire erupted at an ammunition depot located within the Giada military barracks, causing a deafening explosion.
The incident has sparked concerns regarding the safety of residents residing both within and near the area.
According to the army, at least eight people (6 soldiers and 2 civilians) were injured during the outburst; including a six-month-old child and a pregnant mother who had a miscarriage due to the explosion.
Addressing the media at the scene yesterday, SSPDF spokesperson Maj. Gen Lul Ruai Koang rubbished the claim that there was a fight, citing that only the ammunition store caught fire, leading to an explosion.
“We had a very big explosion, as you could see; a lot of shells, rounds, and different types of missile systems were destroyed,” said Ruai.
“We have registered 8 people that got injured: six servicemen by shrapnel and two civilians also wounded,” he stated.
Gen. Ruai said the explosion might have been caused by the excessive heat that the country is experiencing.
He underscored that the wounded are currently getting treatment at the Giada Military Hospital.
“The primary suspect in this is the hot weather that might have ignited the fire. There was no fighting like it was reported that there was heavy fighting in Juba,” he noted.
However, residents living in and around Giada were caught by surprise at midnight on Saturday, with ear shrills exploding and a shocking wave. Many thought the history of 2013 and 2016 had repeated itself.
Edmund Yakani, the executive director of the Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO), expressed deep concern, citing that this was not the first time such an explosion had happened, and advised the army to improve storage facilities.
“We hope that the army leadership of the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF) could learn from previous mistakes and improve our military and defense stockpiling management system,” said Yakani.
“This incident, which happened yesterday in the military barracks of Giada, shows us very clearly that the status of our stockpiling management is not in a proper situation or is not of adequate standard,” he added.
Meanwhile, the activists lauded the army leadership for its instant response, with an army spokesperson calling for calm and not panic among the public.
Mr. Yakani also called on President Salva Kiir to form an independent body to investigate the matter.
“I would like to take this opportunity to appeal to H.E. President Salva Kiir to commission an independent commission in a transparent manner on what took place. What are the reasons that led to the military barracks in Giada to catch fire?” CEPO’s boss urged.
According to him, this incident is alarming because it happens at a time when the country is expecting elections.
Furthermore, he called on the defense docket to compensate and treat victims who might have been displaced or injured in the explosion.