The governor of Central Equatoria State has called on the rebel National Salvation Front (NAS) led by General Thomas Cirillo Swaka to stop rampant attacks ambushing, looting, and torching vehicles on major roads.
Emmanuel Adil Anthony made the appeal while speaking at the ceremony to commemorate South Sudan’s twelfth Independence Day anniversary in Kajo-Keji County in Central Equatoria State on Sunday. He also urged NAS forces to respect the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement they signed with the government under the auspices of the Rome Peace Talks in December 2017.
“As we wait for the attainment of peace with holdout groups, I would like to appeal to the leaders of National Salvation Front whose forces continue to carry out road ambushes, attack our civilians, loot and harass our citizens, to kindly stop,” he said.
The governor urged the NAS rebel fighters willing to denounce rebellion not to be afraid of reprisals.
“If they (NAS rebels) are truly sons and daughters of this state, I urge them to come home,” Adil said. “I heard that some rebel fighters are willing to come out but are afraid because of some acts they might have committed during the war.”
On Jun 7, the Episcopal Church of South Sudan Archbishop of Morobo Diocese, Amosa Data Elinama, was ambushed and his vehicle was burned along the Yei-Kaya road. He was kidnapped by suspected NAS rebels but released shortly after.
On 12 June, two engineers working for the telecom firm MTN South Sudan were injured when their vehicle was ambushed by suspected NAS rebels in Yei River County.
Parts of Central Equatoria State have witnessed road ambushes which authorizes and the SSPDF attribute to NAS.