A UN-led investigation into the Malakal IDP camp incident has found what it calls “deep-rooted historical land disputes” as the root cause of the deadly communal violence.

In a note published on the UN website, the Office of the Spokesperson for Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said the ‘28 States’ Order and the Eastern Nile State Administrative order of 1 February – which dismissed civil servants from particular ethnic groups – also contributed to the conflict.

The investigation determined that the immediate cause for the attacks was an attempt by two SPLA soldiers to smuggle ammunitions into the site on 16 February.

“The Investigation also concluded that external armed elements, some in SPLA uniforms, entered the PoC site during the period and took part in the violence and destruction of parts of the site,”  partly read the note.

“The Investigation team requested that the Transitional Government of National Unity hold the individuals responsible accountable for the violence. The team also provided a number of recommendations to the Government, regional and international actors — including the UN — aimed at preventing such attacks in the future.”

UNMISS spokesperson Ariane Quentier told Eye Radio that the findings will be out after the Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, Hervé Ladsous, and the Under-Secretary-General for Field Support, Atul Khare, brief the Security Council in this regard this afternoon.

Efforts to reach the SPLA Spokesperson for comment were not successful.