Feb 28, 2018(Nyamilepedia) —— South Sudan government troops, SPLA-IG, has killed at least 11 civilians and raped 7 women in Kajo-Keji County within the last two weeks.
According to local residents of Kajo-Keji county, government troops and militias in Kajo-Keji have been “committing brutal atrocities” in a war-isolated county for the last two weeks.
One of the victim, who spoke to us upon her arrival in Gulu, said the government militia have killed civilians and raped women in Kajo-keji and accused them of “accommodating rebels in their bushes”.
The victim, Josephine Alfonse*, a mother of two, was ganged raped in front of her infants by SPLA soldiers when she tried to return home in Kajo-keji.Â
“I though that fighting was between two professional armies, so I returned home with my children because they had nothing to eat in the bush or where to sleep in the cold” Josephine said.
“When I arrived, I found my house destroyed and looted then soldiers approached me talking to me in Dinka language. I told them I don’t know what they were saying then they beat me up and five of them raped me” Josephine continued.
“My children were tied up and thrown inside an open house. I was worried they were going to burn them alive in the house. My children were hurt and were crying but the militias kept knocking their heads with guns telling them keep quiet, keep quiet” She said.
The young woman managed to escape the following morning with her two children and crossed the border to Uganda but said those who did not escape were killed.
Confirming the incident, Ladu Boyo, a spokesman for SPLA in Opposition in Yei River State, said civilians who returned to collect their property were killed.
“In the last two weeks many civilians were killed by the Kiir’s tribal army in Kajo-Keji in cold blood; civilians who returned to collect their property. Kiir’s army now does not differentiate between an opposition solider and civilian.” Ladu said.
“Although we control much of Kajo-Keji and other three counties of Yei River State, we do not control the towns.” He continued.
The rebels’ spokesman calls on civilians to avoid returning to towns that are occupied by the government troops saying that their safety is more important than the property.
“We urge all civilians to stop returning to collect their property. Your lives are more important than the property. We will get other properties as long as we still have our land. Please, don’t return to collect your property.” Ladu says.
