The body of the American journalist killed in Saturday fighting in Kaya in Yei River State has been handed over to the US embassy.

The US Department of State had said that the 26-year-old journalist was killed during a fighting between government and opposition forces.

Christopher Allen was a freelance journalist who had worked for several U.S. news outlets.

He had been reportedly embedded with the opposition forces in South Sudan for a week before he was killed.

A representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kau Nak, told the media that the body was handed over to the US embassy this afternoon.

“Out of goodwill, the government brought the body to Juba and the purpose was identification which was confirmed by the American embassy,” Mr Nak said, “and on that basis, we started the process and the body today was handed over to the American representative.”

Denise Knapp, a representative of the US embassy, confirmed the reception of the body.

“We thank the military and the MFA [Ministry of Foreign Affairs] for releasing the body to us today,” Ms Knapp said.

The Commander of the Medical Corps at the Juba Military Hospital, Dr. Peter Ajak Bullen, said wounds on the body of the deceased indicated that he was shot.

It’s not clear when the body will be flown to the US.