Times Of Swaziland: 3 GUNMEN INVADE ARMY CAMP, SOLDIER SHOT DEAD

3 GUNMEN INVADE ARMY CAMP, SOLDIER SHOT DEAD
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Themba Zwane on 16/01/2023 09:26:00


PIGG’S PEAK – Another member of the Umbutfo Eswatini Defence Force (UEDF)
was shot dead yesterday morning.
The soldier, aged 55, was reportedly shot dead by three unknown armed men who
are said to have attacked the UEDF camp at Bulembu, yesterday at around 9am.
According to sources close to the matter, the trio of gunmen first shot the
deceased; they then tried to shoot another but failed. The assailants then
immediately fled the scene. The sources disclosed that the trio invaded the army
base, one armed with a rifle and the two armed with pistols. They are said to
have sneaked into the army base, shot the soldier dead and tried to sneak into
the area where army weapons are kept. It could not be ascertained how many
soldiers were at the camp in total.
Ammunition
“It appeared as if they knew the set-up at the army base because the other
soldier met them while they were seemingly going to steal guns, where the
ammunition is kept, at the army base,” said a source. It could not be
confirmed if any weapons were taken by the gunmen. Bucopho at Bulembu, Gcina
Msibi, confirmed having heard of the soldier who was shot dead.
Sources at Bulembu highlighted that members of the UEDF were dispatched to the
area for the better part of yesterday, where they were patrolling the area. It
is unclear why the unidentified gunmen targeted the army camp, but sources also
claimed that the attack could be politically motivated and that they wanted to
steal guns.
The name of the soldier has been deliberately withheld as efforts to get hold of
his family were futile. Deputy Police Information and Communications Officer
Inspector Nosipho Mnguni confirmed the matter. “We do have a report of a
55-year-old man who was shot dead,” she said briefly. UEDF Public Affairs
Officer 2nd Lieutenant Tengetile Khumalo also confirmed the incident. However,
she said her office was still awaiting a datailed report from the battalion in
charge of the operational area.
Battalion
In December 2022, unknown gunmen opened fire at Zibonele Army Camp. The camp is
situated near Eswatini’s boundary with South Africa and it is an area usually
used by dagga dealers to smuggle dagga into the neighbouring country. Sources
revealed that there were several gunshots heard by residents of the area,
starting from around 8pm. During a visit to the area, a single tent was found
pitched, surrounded by a thicket. Though sources claimed that during the
exchange of gunfire, the tent was riddled with bullet holes, when this reporter
arrived at the camp, the tent was found intact. It could not be ascertained if a
new one had been pitched, as none of the soldiers present wanted to entertain
the media. There were no casualties during this incident. In May 2022, a
soldier, popularly known as Me Dlamini, was killed by unknown people at New
Village in Manzini. At Mathangeni, a 49-year-old soldier was also shot in the
stomach by an unknown man at about 8pm.