Share

Death toll in attack on South Sudan aid workers rises to 7

 Juba - The death toll of an attack on aid workers in South Sudan has risen to seven, with the news that the driver also died.

David Kim Choop was driving the vehicle when he and six aid workers were ambushed and killed on Saturday, March 25th.

The four South Sudanese and three Kenyans worked for a local NGO called GRADO (Grass Roots Empowerment for Development Organization) and were attacked while on a routine food convoy from Juba, the capital, to Pibor.

The ambush caused the highest number of aid workers killed in a single incident since South Sudan's civil war began in 2013.

At least 12 aid workers have been killed so far this year and at least 79 killed since 2013, according to the UN.

"We are extremely saddened by this undeserved event," said Pius Ojara, director of the NGO Forum in South Sudan. "These are people who were here to serve the population."

Ojara said police are investigating to find out who killed the aid workers.

Grieving families gathered on Monday outside the morgue in Juba to collect and bury their dead.

"This is very painful for all of us," said Levis Kori. Kori's 30-year-old brother John Riti, was killed in the attack.

"We're not enemies," said Kori. "They were humanitarians there to do good. They're not soldiers they have no guns."

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Voting Booth
Do airplane mishaps have any effect on which airline you book your flights with?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
No, these things happen. I pick based on price
49% - 442 votes
Yes, my safety matters. I don't take any chances
51% - 452 votes
Vote
Rand - Dollar
19.13
+0.4%
Rand - Pound
23.80
-0.4%
Rand - Euro
20.45
-0.0%
Rand - Aus dollar
12.39
-0.1%
Rand - Yen
0.12
+0.3%
Platinum
923.60
-0.8%
Palladium
1,029.00
+1.3%
Gold
2,323.40
-0.2%
Silver
27.25
+0.3%
Brent Crude
87.00
-0.3%
Top 40
68,051
+0.8%
All Share
74,011
+0.6%
Resource 10
59,613
-2.2%
Industrial 25
102,806
+1.7%
Financial 15
15,897
+1.8%
All JSE data delayed by at least 15 minutes Iress logo
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE