Malakal Protection of Civilians Site. | Courtesy

Upper Nile State government says it has quelled tension at the Malakal Protection of Civilians Site after communal violence resulted in the killing of a 32-year-old man.

Luk Saadallha, the State Minister of Information said clashes erupted at a water point on Sunday between two communities inside the UNMISS camp.

Saadallha said the man was killed a few hours before the South Sudan National Police and UN peacekeeping personnel could intervened.

He added that the state government has imposed a partial curfew on the road connecting Protection of Civilian Site and the town.

“What is happening in POC is fighting erupted between the communities at the water point, the first information comes to us was that two people were killed, but when we went to the ground we found that only one person got killed,” Minister Saadallha told Eye Radio on Monday from Malakal.

“After they killed him, they burned his body, but the good thing is that the government has intervened immediately last night and the two police truck are stationed at the gate of POC now.”

The state official called on the public to stop inciting information on the social media about the incident.

Meanwhile, the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) is calling for calm at the POC site following the violent incident on Sunday.

UNMISS said it commends Upper Nile Governor James Odhok for meeting with local communities to de-escalate the situation.

The mission added that has increased peacekeepers’ strength at the POC site and is conducting overnight patrols, in addition to working with authorities and communities to de-congest the site and reduce tensions.

It urges the local leaders to encourage their communities to embrace dialogue and refrain from any violence.

The mission added that it will support the government and respective communities to reduce tensions and embrace dialogue and the use of justice institutions to resolve grievances.