A 13-year-old boy has reportedly died and his two younger sisters critically injured in a grenade explosion in Northern Bahr el Ghazal State.

The incident occurred on Thursday evening at Shilkaw Payam, Nyamlel area of Aweil West County, according to the police commissioner of Aweil West County, Maj. Tong Matong.

The police commissioner blames the children’s father.

Their father, Atir Awech, an SSPDF officer reportedly left the grenade in a bag where the children mistook it for a toy.

“At 4:30 pm, an SSPDF officer, Atir Awech, placed a grenade in his bag in his room. His children entered the room and opened the bag. They took this grenade. It exploded,” Maj. Matong told Eye Radio on Friday.

The victim is Chan Atir Awech. His two critically wounded sisters are Nybol Atir Awech, 9; and Achok Atir Awech, 5.

According to the police, the two are getting treatment at Nyamlel Health Care Center.

“All of them are his blood children, but because of his negligence by putting his grenade at home, the incident happened,” Maj. Matong added.

Grenade explosions are common across the country.

In December, two girls were killed in a grenade incident in Kwajina area of Wau.

January 2020, at least 22 people also died in a grenade explosion in Wau, Western Bahr el Ghazal State.

According to the United Nations Mine Action Service, more than 5,000 South Sudanese, including 249 children have been killed or injured by landmines and unexploded ordinance since 2004.