Eleven armed youths have been arrested in connection with the killing of a senior officer in the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF) in Mayom County. The officer, Bridger General Manywir Malual Turoal, was from Mayom County. Authorities made the arrests last week in Unity State.

The deceased was the second in command of Special Operations Forces in Mayom County. He was shot dead by armed youth in Mankien Payam last week, according to the military.

Maluk Geng, the Director of Police in Mayom County, told Radio Tamazuj on Wednesday that the suspects were apprehended on Sunday in Mankien Payam, located within Mayom County.

“In response to accusations linking armed youth in the area to the killing of the Bridger General, security forces were deployed to various cattle camps in Mankien Payam by authorities in Mayom County last Sunday,” Geng explained.

“Last week, Bridger General Manywirr Malual was killed in Mankien Payam, Mayom County, by unidentified suspected criminals from Mayom. These individuals often take the law into their own hands, causing insecurity along the roads in Mayom and engaging in cattle raids with neighboring areas in Mayom and Warrap State,” he said.

The Mayom County government has attempted to advise the youths in the region against participating in cattle raids and attacks on neighboring communities in Warrap State. “These 11 suspects involved in the fatal shooting of our general in Mayom will not be released soon, as they are causing disruptions among communities and with the Mayom County government,” revealed Police Director Geng.

“Investigations are ongoing in collaboration with the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (CID). Once completed, the suspects will be brought before a court of law to face criminal charges,” Geng said.