American freelance journalist Christopher Allen died on Aug. 26, 2017 while covering heavy fighting between government troops and rebels in the town of Kaya, in Yei River state, near the borders with Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Eighteen other people reportedly were killed in the fighting. Allen, who was shot in the head, was embedded with rebel troops at the time of his death. A rebel spokesman said Allen had been wearing a jacket marked “PRESS” and was deliberately targeted by government troops. South Sudanese authorities denied that account, but refused to open an investigation. They accused Allen of being a “criminal” who entered the country illegally and they made statements indicating that anyone accompanying rebels, including journalists, would be treated as combatants.