AKOBO, South Sudan: An 18-month-old boy lies motionless on a dirty hospital bed deep in the conflict zone of South Sudan, a bullet wound in his leg — another newly orphaned victim in the world’s newest country.
“When they arrived, they started shooting everyone in the area — elder, child, and mother,” Nyayual, his grandmother, told AFP at the hospital in the opposition-held town of Akobo, eastern Jonglei State.
The bullet that hit the little boy also killed his mother — Nyayual’s daughter. AFP is using only her first name for fear of reprisals.
She says it was government forces that attacked their village.
“We ran away... they were still shooting at us,” she said. “This failed government has no way to resolve things.”
