UN Peacekeepers carrying an injured person outside the POC camp in Malakal. |Courtesy: UNMISS|
Violence erupted in Malakal town of Upper Nile State on Thursday 30 May 2024, according to a resident who spoke to The Golden Times on condition of anonymity over fear of his safety.
The violence was triggered by the killing of three people along the Malakal—Akoka road by unknown gunmen.
“Yesterday, there were some reports of road ambush along the Akoka-Malakal road. Three people were killed by the unknown gunmen. This incident triggered violence. Some internally displaced civilians claimed the killing was ethnically motivated. They began to attack people who are from opposite ethnicity,” he said.
“Many people got injured. Now the market is closed and people are living in a state of fear. There are reports that one of the UN officials got injured but I cannot independently verify it because people are confined in the houses over fear of further escalation of violence,” he added.
The United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) confirmed the renewed violence in Malakal, Upper Nile State.
Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General and Head of UN Peacekeepers, Nichols Haysom said he was deeply concerned about the outbreak of violence in Malakal, Upper Nile state, which led to the deaths of several people yesterday.
“Tensions also remain high in the UN Protection of Civilians Site adjacent to the Mission’s base in the state,” Nicholas said.
He cautioned that such violence causes lasting harm to communities and also prevents UNMISS from continuing our vital protection and peacebuilding work.
UNMISS urged the state and local authorities as well as government security forces to maintain stability and order in the area, including around the UN Protection of Civilians Site and Malakal town.
