Nairobi — The Committee to Protect Journalists is deeply troubled by reports that a South Sudanese army spokesman today denied that U.S. freelance reporter and photographer Christopher Allen, who was killed covering conflict there on August 26, was deserving of civilian status. CPJ called for an independent investigation into the circumstances surrounding Allen's death, and urged authorities to respect all journalists' status as civilians.
South Sudan's army, a rebel spokesman, and the U.S. Embassy in the capital Juba confirmed to CPJ that Allen was killed during fighting between government and rebel forces in Kaya, near the borders with Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Allen had been embedded with opposition forces for two weeks, Col. Lam Paul Gabriel, the rebel's deputy spokesman, told CPJ.
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