UN condemns shooting of civilians at protection site in South Sudan

By

Peter Louis

The United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) condemned in the strongest possible terms the fatal shooting yesterday evening of an internally displaced person (IDP) inside the Mission’s protection-of-civilians site at its compound outside the city of Malakal.

The Mission received information that three members of forces belonging to either the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement In Oppposition (SPLM-IO) or the allied militia led by Gen. Johnson Olony, who are currently controlling the Upper Nile state capital, opened fire on IDPs at a recently opened protection-of-civilians site in the UNMISS compound yesterday.

One civilian was killed and another six IDPs were wounded. The wounded are currently receiving treatment at the hospital inside the UNMISS compound, and one is said to be in a critical condition.

The exact circumstances surrounding the shooting incident remain unclear, but any attack on a protection-of-civilians site constitutes a direct assault against the United Nations and may constitute a war crime. This is not the first time that an UNMISS protection-of-civilians site has come under attack by armed elements in South Sudan, and such indefensible actions may compromise the Mission’s ability to implement its mandate should they continue to go unpunished.

UNMISS peacekeepers returned fire against the assailants and are currently engaging with senior commanders of armed opposition forces in a bid to identify the perpetrators of this unprovoked attack among their own ranks.

Peter Louis

Peter Louis works as a freelance Videographer and Journalist in the Republic of South Sudan. He previously worked for Ebony TV, South Sudan Radio and South Sudan TV, Wau.