By Aguok Chok

A 15-year-old boy and three women were injured in a grenade attack at Bar Abiik Market, Jur River County, on Saturday.

Major Gen. Abednego Akol Ayuong, the Western Bahr el Ghazal State police commissioner, confirmed the incident, stating that an officer belonging to the SPLA-IO detonated the grenade upon seeing military intelligence officers.

“What happened on Saturday at around 9 a.m. is that a soldier from the SPLA-IO entered the market, maybe to take tea, but at the same time, there were soldiers from Military Intelligence there. When he saw the soldiers, he detonated the grenade, which wounded the women who were preparing tea, and a boy,” Gen. Akol explained.

He mentioned that one of the three injured women is in critical condition at Wau Teaching Hospital.

“Our police team responded quickly and took the wounded to the hospital. The intelligence officers were not wounded,” he added.

According to him, the attacker is on the run and the police are tracking him.

“We have dispatched the CID to follow him because after committing the crime, he ran away. We are following him and have opened a case against him because he is well known and from SPLA-IO,” he stated.

The police commissioner assured the public of safety, and urged the locals to coordinate with the authorities to ensure the suspect is apprehended.

“We are coordinating with the SPLA-IO and local chiefs to find him. However, we do not want to expose his name at this early stage before he is apprehended,” he said.

Residents of Bahrabik Market have expressed fear following the incident, calling on the authorities to enhance security in the area.