Unknown gunmen have shot and killed two brothers who were fishermen in Yei River County of South Sudan’s Central Equatoria State on Tuesday, a relative and police said.

The deceased were identified as Boboya and Towongo.

Anthony Diko, a relative of the deceased, told Radio Tamazuj that the deadly attack took place in Kembe River, located six miles southeast of Yei town. He further said the two brothers were both killed while fishing.

The relative revealed that the attackers managed to escape following the incident. He appealed to the police to launch investigations into the case and bring the culprits to book.

 "One of the fishermen managed to run away and the two brothers were found killed. So, together with the Ronyi Boma administrator and the area headman, we reported the issue to the police, and we hope the police will investigate it and identify the killers," Diko said.

For his part, Yei Police Commissioner Major General Yuasa Lujang Kamba, said: "These two people were confirmed killed. An elder, the area chief and the Boma administrator came to my office and I sent some police forces to carry out investigations into the incident."

This is the first incident involving the murder of civilians on the outskirts of Yei River County this month.