Karnataka man killed by rebels in South Sudan

An Indian national, Syed Farooq Basha, was shot dead by rebel fighters in South Sudan on Saturday, diplomatic sources have confirmed.

The incident occurred some 900 km from the South Sudan capital of Juba.

“Syed Farooq Basha was driving through the disputed region of Abyei, when he was shot dead in an attack that injured his driver. This is the first casualty of an Indian in the civil war, which began last year,” said a senior source at the Indian Embassy in Juba.

Mr. Basha, who hails from Gangavati in Koppal district of Karnataka, was employed with Omaski Sai Infrastructure Co Ltd., which is involved in drilling wells for water in the region.

Abyei is an energy-rich region between Sudan and South Sudan which remains disputed. The identity of the killers of Mr Basha is not yet known though reports suggest that he was targeted by one of the rebel groups fighting the government of South Sudan.

“We have spoken to the family of Syed Farooq Basha and promised all help,” said External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj in a social media post, responding to requests from his family.