Local authorities in Tonj East County of Warrap State said a co-driver died on Sunday night following a road ambush at Mayom-Chuei locality at the border with Tonj North County.
The officials blamed youth from the Luachjang and Thiik communities in Tonj East County for the attack while others blamed armed youth from the Apuk Padoc community of the now-defunct Lou Paher County in Tonj North.
The Executive Director of the defunct Luachjang South County Mabior Adel blamed Sunday's attack on the Thiik community.
He claimed that Mayom-Chuei where the attack took place lies at the border of the three communities of Luachjang, Thiik, and Lou Paher communities.
“On 24th of this month, two vehicles loaded with goods left Wau for Paliang. They arrived at Paliang on the same day and left at around 11 pm. When they reached a place called Mayom-Chuei which is at the border of Luach, Lou Paher, and Thiik, they were attacked until one of the co-drivers was killed. We suspect Thiik people of the attack because the area is at the border of Thiik, Luach, and Lou,” Adel said.
However, the Executive Director of the defunct Thiik County, Luka Marial Akot, denied the involvement of the Thiik community in the attack. He claimed armed youth from the Luachjang community might have ambushed and attacked the vehicle.
“The killing did not take place here in our place. It happened in Romic. The vehicles left Wau with goods to Romic, but when the vehicles were going back, those of Romic ambushed them and killed one person and so it is not our side of Langchok. It is Romic that is between Lol Liith and Romic along Romic and Marial road,” Marial said.
Mabior Adel, the executive director of Luachjang South County appealed to both the state and national governments to provide a force to protect vehicles entering his areas and called on warring communities to reconcile.
"I am appealing to the government to help us with a force to protect vehicles from armed civilians and I am also calling on our people from Thiik, Akok, Ador, and Bach to reconcile among ourselves. We are equally calling on organizations that facilitate peace especially UNMISS to organize and facilitate peace among ourselves,” Adel said.
Road ambushes of vehicles destined for Tonj East County headquarters, Romic, have been frequent with Luachjang and Thiik communities blamed for the attacks.