The local authorities in Kapoeta South County have said that 3 girls, aged 14 to 15, were on Tuesday morning shot and critically injured while they were fetching water in the Namurunyang area.
The injured girls are Naci Nachek, 14, Itau Omoru, 14, and Nokuta Lowi, 15, and are receiving treatment at Kapoeta Hospital.
Juma Justine Apei, the acting commissioner of Kapoeta South County, told this publication on Tuesday afternoon that the attack was carried out by an armed youth from the neighboring Budi County.
“Today (Tuesday) at 9 am, there were some children who were pumping water from a borehole in Namurunyang, young girls aged about 14 years and the person who shot and injured them is from Didinga,” he charged. “He attacked and shot them using a gun and broke all their legs but did not kill them. These children are now with me in the hospital in Kapoeta. I called my colleague in Budi County and asked him to arrest the perpetrator.”
Apei cautioned the Toposa, Buya, and Didinga youth against killing innocent people.
“If you want cattle, go and search for it but do not kill women who go to cut grass, those fetching water, and those mining gold.” He said. “These are just innocent hungry people looking for ways to survive.”
Meanwhile, Kokol Michael, the SPLM-IO nominated Member of Parliament representing Budi County in the state assembly, condemned the attack and tasked the government to investigate the matter and bring the perpetrators to book.
He urged the t Toposa and Didinga communities to desist from targeting innocent girls and women in their localities.
“These attacks and killings are not good and had ceased. Such criminals need to be followed and apprehended,” he said. “The two communities have been living together without reports of killings of girls or women and they should continue co-existing like before.”
Source: Radio Tamazuj