Two killed in attack on Panyijiar County bodyguards in Lakes State

RUMBEK – A deadly attack in South Sudan’s Lakes State has left two people dead, including a bodyguard of the Commissioner of Panyijiar County of Unity State, a senior local official told Sudans Post.

Armed youths from Amongpiny targeted the commissioner’s 10 bodyguards in a public market after they had surrendered their weapons at a military barracks.

The bodyguards had been escorting a humanitarian vehicle from Panyijiar County to Amongpiny in Yirol County of Lakes State.

A shopper was also killed in the assault, according to the Panyijiar County commissioner’s director of information Tap Mark Diew.

“What happened yesterday [is that] 10 bodyguards of Panyijiar County commissioner who [escorted] a humanitarian vehicle from Panyijiar County to Amongpiny under Lake state were fired [upon] by army youths in Amongpiny and the reasons behind [the shooting] are not clear up to now,” Mark said.

Diew explained that the commissioner had selected the bodyguards to accompany a UNICEF vehicle involved in the construction of health facilities.

After reaching Amongpiny and handing over their weapons, the bodyguards were attacked while shopping in the market.

Mark said the nine surviving bodyguards remain in Amongpiny but are expected to return to Panyijiar County today.

The motive for the attack remains unknown, according to Mark, who also said the Panyijiar County commissioner is coordinating with the Yirol County commissioner to address the incident and its aftermath.

This attack follows a raid last month in Panyijiar County by armed youths from Lake State’s Rumbek. That incident resulted in two deaths, one injury, and the theft of over 1,000 cattle.