In a statement released by the UN Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), Mathew Hollingsworth called on the government to launch a swift investigation into the killing of an aid worker.

The Humanitarian Coordinator says armed men attacked a convoy of five amphibious vehicles between Tindiir and Duk Padiet in Jonglei State, killing a driver and injuring another.

According to Hollingsworth, the team was returning from Tindiir to Duk Padiet, where they had delivered critical live-saving food assistance for flood-affected people when it was ambushed.

He says the specialized vehicles were clearly marked as humanitarian and are the only means that enable deliveries to flooded zones.

Hollingsworth describes the attack as horrific, and called on the government to identify and hold the perpetrators to account.

“It’s a horrific curse because these are people who have worked for us for long, as we had the amphibious vehicles all around the country where there has been terrible flooding from Fangak to Bor, Maban Ganyiel and Pibor,” Hollingsworth said.

“They have worked tirelessly delivering assistance to places we can reach the other way. The fact that the criminals attacked them and shot them in a clearly marked humanitarian vehicle.

“We are calling on the authorities to make an immediate investigation and find those gangs to be responsible and take them to justice.”

The deceased, identified as a South Sudanese, had served as an amphibian driver for four years before his demise.

“My heart goes out to the family that lost a father, that lost a breadwinner, to a team that had a great colleague, and to a community that lost a dedicated humanitarian, who annually worked her over twelve years to support his family, to support his community in South Sudan.” Hollingsworth stated in his condolences message.

This incident brings to five, the number of aid workers killed while on line of duty in 2021, according to UNOCHA.