A street in WES capital Yambio. (File photo)

The Chairperson of the Civil Society Organizations Network in Western Equatoria State, Wanga Emmanuel, has called government authorities and security commanders to immediately withdraw forces from civilian residential areas after a young girl was killed in crossfire during sporadic gunfire in Yambio on Saturday evening.

The shooting at Masia Trading Centre occurred at around 7 p.m. on Saturday.

Speaking to reporters in Yambio town on Sunday, Wanga said such shooting in civilian-populated are put residents in grave danger as bullets struck homes and trapped families indoors.

His remarks on Sunday came after authorities in Yambio announced that the gunfire stemmed from a conflict among members of the organized forces and that investigations were underway to determine the root causes.

Wanga appealed to state authorities to treat the situation with urgency and direct security leaders to relocate their forces away from civilian-populated locations.

“We are calling on the government, please, to call on the leaders of these organized forces to withdraw forces from the civilian-located places.  And if it is an internal crisis, and if it is external, then we have nothing to say,” he said.

He also urged the residents to remain indoors while security tensions persist, adding that parents should ensure children do not move outside during such incidents.

“We are also calling on the citizens, please, we are calling on you to stay in your home. In such crisis, don’t go out, sit at home. If you continue to hear shooting, sleep down, don’t run, because you cannot run with bullets. These are messages from us to the civil population.  Please, keep your children at home. Don’t move out.”

The incident prompted Western Equatoria State Governor James Eltaib Berapai to return from Juba on Sunday to calm the situation.