By Matik Kueth
At least one South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF) soldier was killed and another injured in an attack by armed youth in Koch County, Unity State, on Thursday during an arrest operation.
A PKM machine gun was also reportedly seized by the local armed youth from the soldiers during the ambush.
Speaking to King Media on Thursday, Koch County Police Director, Jock Deng, confirmed the incident, stating that the SSPDF forces were attacked while attempting to arrest suspects linked to the recent killing of three men in Leer County last month.
The criminals, he said, were believed to be organized youth from a nearby village, avenging their kin in a cycle of revenge killings.
“This incident occurred yesterday [Thursday] in the evening, where the SSPDF soldiers went to look for a criminal believed to have killed three men last month in Pilieny Payam of Leer County. So, when they were seen by the armed youth, they were attacked, and one soldier was killed, and another one was wounded,” Deng said.
The conflict reportedly traces back to a previous incident in Leer, where a man accused of killing two people escaped from detention during a mobile court session.
His escape is believed to have triggered a series of retaliatory attacks, culminating in the killing of three men in Koch County.
“The armed youth outnumbered the soldiers and also took a PKM. That’s how it happened!” Deng explained.
According to Brig. Gen. Riek Lam, an SSPDF Commander in Koch, the soldiers were acting on orders from the Koch County Commissioner to apprehend the suspects when they came under fire.
“Our forces were ambushed while on a mission to arrest the criminals responsible for the recent murders,” he stressed.
“One soldier was killed and another injured during the attack. So far, none of the attackers have been apprehended, but we are continuing our search,” he narrated.
Authorities say efforts are ongoing to track down the armed youth and bring them to justice, urging the public to support peace and avoid taking the law into their own hands.