By Charles K Mark
World Food Programme (WFP) driver has been killed in an attack at Duk County of Jonglei state of South Sudan.
Duk County Commissioner, Peter Latjor Chuol reported that the attack occurred on Saturday morning.
He suspected a group of armed youth from the Pibor Administrative Area were responsible for the attack.
According to the Commissioner, at least 10 of WFP tracks with food items came under attack at an area called Apiirdonga, between Payuel Payam and Panyang Payam, Pajut, the headquarters of Duk County.
He said 9 of the tracks managed to pass but unfortunately, one remaining behind was shot at and after killing the driver, all its tyres were destroyed.
“Forces at the County rushed to the incident scene but were not able to apprehend the armed criminals but they went in pursuance of the armed youths,” Latjor said.
The commissioner calls for peaceful disarmament of civilians who are carrying guns illegally.
“It is good for the national government to call the Chief Administrator of Greater Pibor and Governor of Greater Jonglei to sit and discuss ways forward on how to stop the atrocities.”
Pibor Administrative Area government’s spokesperson, Joseph Kelang has denied the blame that the criminals are from Pibor.
He refuted the allegations urging the commissioner of Duk County to carry out thorough verification.
“Let the Commissioner first settle the matter in his community before jumping to say it is youth from Pibor, how did he know?” Kelang asked.
The minister emphasized that currently, his community receives over 200 hundred tracks loaded with food and non-food items.
“UN has got free movement within the whole of Greater Pibor and Greater Jonglei State respectively. Why would our youth attack UN Vehicles in Duk?” he continued.
Meanwhile, the Jonglei State Information Minister, Elizabeth Nyadak John confirmed the incidence to No. 1 Citizen Daily English Newspaper on the phone.
She said that after the driver was shot, the co-driver who escaped the tragedy claimed hearing the attackers speaking in Murle dialect.
“The witness (Somali National) who was the Co-Driver overheard them talking in Murle language,” she told this outlet.
The minister revealed that the survivor trek for five hours fleeing from the scene in Payuel to Duk Padiet.
The aim of the attack remains unknown but Nyadak presumes the suspects were looking for valuable items such as money and phones since they couldn’t offload the track to carry food.
“No, no, no! Where will they take food? They can’t come all along from Pibor to come and take food. They are looking for cattle. I think these boys maybe were looking for phones or money,” she said.