JUBA, South Sudan, Nov. 28, 2024 — South Sudanese President Salva Kiir has formed a five-member committee to investigate a shootout last Thursday at the residence of former spy chief Gen. Akol Koor Kuc, dismissed in October amid allegations of plotting a coup. The incident occurred in the Thongpiny neighborhood of the capital and lasted about an hour.
In a decree broadcast by the state-run South Sudan Broadcasting Corporation, Kiir named Lt. Gen. James Koang Chuol of the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF) as the head of the investigation committee, with Maj. Gen. Deng Akol Wek from the National Security Services as deputy. Additional members include Maj. Gen. Chinraan Machar Chol, Brig. Gen. Deng Mabior Deng, and Col. Patrick Lumumba.
The committee is tasked with determining the circumstances surrounding the shootout, which involved “our own security forces,” according to SSPDF spokesperson Maj. Gen. Lul Ruai Koang. The clash reportedly stemmed from a “misunderstanding” between different security teams deployed at Koor’s residence. Kiir has instructed the panel to submit findings and recommendations within two weeks.
Beyond interviewing witnesses and officers, the committee has been authorized to issue arrest warrants for those who refuse to cooperate and will also assess casualties, property damage, and environmental impacts.
Koor, who led the National Security Services since South Sudan’s independence in 2011, was dismissed in October and placed under house arrest. His removal sparked speculation of an attempted coup against President Kiir.
The investigation is expected to clarify whether tensions within the security forces contributed to the violence.
