South Sudan Military Kill Own Troops, Sink Boat

At least twenty South Sudan troops were killed after the country’s military shot and sank one of its riverboats in a remote region in what was reported as a mistaken identity. The South Sudanese troops opened fire at the boat that appeared similar to the ones used by enemies killing the ten on the spot and sinking it.

• South Sudan Army’s (SPLA) spokesman Philip Aguer said that the troops opened fire after the boat defied orders to stop as it passed their position by Upper Nile state.

• Aguer confirmed that about 50 other soldiers were missing after the shooting incident.

• “It was an accident by SPLA soldiers. They mistook their own boat that was carrying soldiers from Renk to Malakal. It was traveling at night,” Aguer explained.

• Tue spokesman said that the boat sank near Lul settlement west of the Upper Nile state.

• Aguer further indicated that the military would investigate the ugly incident to determine how the soldiers mistook one of their own boat for an enemy vessel deep inside South Sudan’s territory.

• Since South Sudan seceded from Sudan over a year ago under the a peace accord signed in 2005, the civil wars that lasted for decades were curbed and the country has been regaining stability fast enough.

• However, the two countries have been involved in a conflict over the oil rich region of Abyei and other border states.

• The South Sudan National army is largely composed of the Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) who were guerrilla fighters and militants during the liberation fights and were later integrated after the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) was initialed.