South Sudanese security forces deployed at Loronyo in Eastern Equatoria's Torit County arrested 17 suspects for the killings of 24 people last week.

Last week, 24 people, including women and children, were killed by a mob while on their way to Torit for a funeral.

Torit County Commissioner Jerman Charles told Radio Tamazuj that security forces brought 17 suspects to their headquarters in the county capital yesterday evening.

The commissioner said they had arrested the alleged leader of the mob soon after the killings.

“The investigation was started this morning and since you know investigations cannot be completed in one day, it will continue based on the evidence available from the suspects,” Charles said.

Meanwhile, State Minister of Information and Communications Mark Akio Ukinbul on Tuesday denied allegations that security forces deployed to Loronyo were looting civilian properties.

Radio Tamazuj reported earlier that Loronyo residents fled their homes for fear of the security forces sent to find the Torit killers.

“Our forces as government were sent to calm down situations and to arrest the wrongdoers, not to cause destruction," he told Radio Tamazuj. "So whoever fabricated it in the social media, these are the people against the government and we cannot accept it."

Mark asked the Loronyo residents to return home. He claimed that security is calm.