The Abyei Special Administrative Area Minister of Education, Nyinkuany Aguer, who is also acting information minister, revealed that three people were shot dead and five others, including Rumamer County Commissioner Ayuel Kiir, sustained bullet wounds on Sunday after being shot at by the SSPDF in Rumamer County.

The minister told Radio Tamazuj that the incident was instigated by army personnel who were deployed in Agok and Aneet to stop hostilities between the Ngok Dinka and Twic communities.

He said the incident occurred between Abyei Mission Forces escorting the Abyei Minister of Local Government to Rumamer County and SSPDF soldiers deployed in Aneet and Agok airstrips.

“The Abyei Area Minister of Local Government came from Juba, was received by Rumamer County Commissioner Ayuel Kiir, tried to visit Rumamer County, and was escorted by the Abyei Community Police, the Abyei Mission, to assess her work in the county.  However, the SSPDF forces refused the minister and commissioner to meet and talk,” he explained. “A captain from Abyei the mission told the SSPDF that they are community police and were tasked with escorting the local government minister to Rumamer County but the SSPDF soldiers refused to listen and opened fire at the meeting where the minister and commissioner were discussing security issues.”

Minister Aguer added: “Three people were killed five others were wounded, including Rumamer County Commissioner Ayuel Kiir.”

He said the wounded were taken to Abyei where they are receiving treatment and that the commissioner is stable.

Aguer condemned the unfortunate incident orchestrated by SSPDF and urged the military leadership to investigate the matter.

“We are horrified by the actions of the SSPDF because the area commissioner is the head of security and the area minister is also a senior official in the same government and they must be respected,” he said. “We urge the SSPDF leadership to immediately investigate what triggered the shooting of government officials while discussing the security situation.”

A big SSPDF force was deployed at Aneet and Agok airstrips to maintain peace between Twic and Abyei following the implementation of President Salva Kiir’s orders to stop violence between Warrap State’s Twic County and Abyei Special Administrative Area.