A South Sudan People’s Defense Forces soldier allegedly killed four people in Gogrial West County, Warrap State, at the weekend.
Among the deceased are three foreigners – one Syrian and two Lebanese – and a young South Sudanese boy.
Yak Garang Yak, 40, a private serving under SSPDF Division III in the state shot them dead at Ngap Aker in Akon town on Saturday morning.
The police identified the deceased as 15-year-old Deng Malong Malual (South Sudanese), 35-year-old Yaser Mohamed (Syrian), 29-year-old Abdu Abbass (Lebanese), and 30-year-old Jades Sali (Lebanese).
The three foreign nationals were among seven expats who had been allegedly working on President Salva Kiir’s house since 2020.
Col. Abdalla Deng Mou, inspector of police in Akon, says Yak – who was the driver of the workers at the time – first disarmed the victims of their cellphones before he opened fire, killing them instantly.
“After threatening them with a gun, he took their phones and car key and then started shooting the people before driving off,” Col Deng told Mayardit FM.
Police later captured him in Aweil East in Northern Bahr el Ghazal State and handed him over to the military authorities.
The motive behind the killing is yet to be known.