South Sudanese and supporters are shocked by the news of deaths that has hit Riek Machar’s family in the wake of J1 fighting last month. Riek and his family have kept the death of his own son Gatwang and brother Kuem Machar a secret indoor not to ruined his supporters morale until FVP Taban Deng revealed recently.
Riek has actually lost two family members besides thousands of bodyguards in the J1 fighting. His brother who was part of his protection force Kuem Machar was killed as he fought to protect Riek’s seat.
Kuem was a US citizen who returned to South Sudan to fight for Riek.
His body was collected by South Sudan Red Cross and buried in mass grave with more than 1000 IO soldiers killed in Juba.
Another person revealed to have been killed in J1 fighting last month is Riek Machar’s little brother Kuem Machar. Riek and his wife Angelina who is mother of the boy killed have been mourning the deaths in Equatoria forests without proper time to mourn. His bodyguards and generals are rumoured to have been killed last week in Western Equatoria when dead bodies were recovered in bushes.
