A deadly road attack on the Central Equatoria State governor’s convoy has left four people dead along the Juba-Yei road on Thursday afternoon, officials confirmed.

The state governor’s convoy carrying mostly security and protocol officials heading to Yei town fell into an ambush in Gabada village about 55 miles away from Juba city. Governor Emmanuel Adil Anthony and other officials flew from Juba to Yei.

According to Yei River County Police Commissioner Major General Yoasa Lujang Kamba, the four deceased included two SSPDF soldiers and two police officers.

“Indeed, a convoy of the state governor coming on land from Juba to Yei, when it reached a place called Gabada 55 miles it fell into an ambush and four soldiers were killed namely; Sergeant Major Emmanuel Ade from the police, Sergeant Major Emmanuel Taban Francis from the SSPDF and Corporal Bona Dau from the SSPDF and another police officer and that is what happened to the convoy of the governor of Central Equatoria State,” Lujang explained.

Lujang accused the rebel National Salvation Front (NAS) forces for the attack.

“A civilian cannot attack the convoy of the governor where 12 vehicles were traveling on the road. We know that it is the National Salvation Front rebels who attacked the convoy and these are war crimes and crimes against humanity being committed by NAS,” he said.

Several calls to NAS spokesperson Suba Samuel Manase to comment on the matter were futile.

Edmund Yakani, a civil society activist and the Executive Director for Community Empowerment for Progress organization condemned the continued insecurity in the Yei region.

"As civil society, we strongly condemn these incidents committed against the civil population and we are watching and documenting all these violations. We call on these violators to stop these acts and we call on our government to take a political approach for peace and protection of the civilians,” he stated.

Yakani added, “The current increase are incidents where there are continuous armed attacks on the civilian population in the greater Yei region of Morobo, Lainya and Kajo-Keji is a serious issue that constitutes a violation of human rights and a crime against humanity." 

Observers say so far over ten civilians have been killed in deadly road attacks in the region in just one week.