The Committee to Protect Journalists has called for an independent investigation into the death of freelance journalist Christopher Allen, who was killed while covering the civil war there.
CPJ said it had gotten confirmation from the South Sudan army, a rebel spokesman and the U.S. Embassy in Juba that Allen was killed during fighting between government and rebel forces in Kaya, along the border with Uganda and the Congo.
Allen had been embedded with rebel forces. In a press conference, according to CPJ, South Sudan spokesman Lul Ruai Koang said journalists so embedded would not be protected.
"Taking photographs and reporting events is not attacking. It is journalistic work done by civilians, who are protected under international law," said CPJ Africa Program Coordinator Angela Quintal in a statement. "We call for a credible, independent investigation into the killing of Christopher Allen so that those responsible can be held to account."
According to a Reuters report, one of the rebels said Allen had been wearing a vest marked press.
