The ousted Governor of Western Equatoria State Joseph Bakosoro has condemned recent violence in Yambio that targeted civilians, saying combatants should fight each other and not kill innocent civilians.

He said, “I just heard with regret unnecessary attack on civilians in Hai Cuba by armed groups. I strongly condemned such attacks and asked those armed groups to stop attacking innocent civilians in towns."

"Yambio had been peaceful all this time and common person began to recover their normal life. There is no justification why the house of a common citizen in Hi Cuba should be attacked." 

The former governor added, "That is provocation and inflicting loss of life of a citizen without reason. Those armed groups should know their targets. If you hate government, target government position, don't hate the civil population. If I have problem with government, I should target military barracks that is protecting such government... civilians in Hai Cuba are trying to survive like any other citizen and should not be attacked."

“If you want liberate your people from suffering in the hand of a corrupt government, why do you kill innocent persons who are also suffering? Those citizens are surviving just like any citizen of South Sudan,” Bakosoro said. 

He added, ''Armed groups should target military barracks. On the same note let me advise SPLA that they should not also randomly target civilian population. They need to follow rules of engagement and follow those armed groups and confront them.''

“Why do SPLA target innocent people? Why armed groups are at large?” the former WES governor asked. ''When are we going to have disciplined SPLA forces in the country that protect all communities?'' 

Bakosoro appealed to all forces to stop such behavior warning that the citizens will lose trust in the government if it continues. 

''Let the common citizen experience peace of mind while those holding arms target each other. God bless our country to respect human life. Though I am outside, I am concerned. Let government bring different ethnic groups together to reconcile them.” 

Last year Bakosoro was removed by presidential decree and jailed. After his release earlier this year he left for medical treatment in the United States.

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