At least 12 people were killed and seven others injured by Ugandan game rangers for allegedly poaching at the Kidepo Game Park on Sunday, reports South Sudan’s Radio Tamazuj.
The killings reportedly happened after a group of youth from Lorema in Budi County of Eastern Equatoria State in South Sudan unknowingly went hunting in Kidepo national park in Uganda.
Radio Tamazuj adds that according to officials, two out of the seven injured were currently being attended to at Chukudum Hospital while five others remain missing.
The Budi Paramount Chief in South Sudan, Lino Atiol, told Radio Tamazuj on phone that the incident happened at around 7am when the Ugandan game rangers fired at the suspected poachers.
According to Atiol, the suspected poachers who went hunting following hunger, did not know the borders with Uganda.
“These people went there for hunting and they were ambushed and 12 people killed and two others injured,” he said.
He added that the people were threatened by hunger hence their hunting of the wildlife.
Eastern Equatoria State MP (SPLM-IO) who hails from the area, Charles Longoli, confirmed the incident and called on the government to sensitise communities about the dangers of hunting in game parks.
He said it was not the first time the Ugandan game rangers had killed hunters from South Sudan.
Eastern Equatoria State civil society activist and the Executive Director for the Peace Link Foundation, Charles Okullu, condemned the incident and called on the two countries to address the issues along the common border.
He said South Sudan government had ignored the border issues such as encroachments, killings and detention of civilians.
Radio Tamazuj said that it could not reach Uganda wildlife authorities at Kidepo for a comment.
