An ambush on two commuter vehicles on the Juba-Nimule highway yesterday afternoon left two dead, three others nursing injuries, and another passenger missing.
According to reports, the passenger vehicles were on their way to Nimule from Juba when men wearing military uniforms jumped onto the road and started spraying them with bullets. They missed the first vehicle but managed to shoot at the second one carrying 6 passengers, killing a 22-year-old man, an 11-year-old girl, and injuring 3 other occupants.
According to the police, one passenger disappeared and is thought to have run into the bushes and has not been found yet.
Major General Daniel Justine, the South Sudan police spokesperson, told Radio Tamazuj, “This incident occurred at around 12:15 pm between Kerepi and Moli. This vehicle was going from Juba to Nimule and was attacked by unknown men in uniform. There were 6 passengers in the car. Two died, a 22-year-old man, and an 11-year-old girl. There were three injured and one passenger disappeared and has not yet been found, maybe he ran into the forest. Our forces went there and found the attackers went away.”
When probed about the security escort for travelers on the road, Gen Justine said some of the commuter drivers are impatient and do not wait for the mandated convoy escort.
“There is an escort but these people (drivers) like moving very early and they avoid the escort. They are just in a hurry and they don’t tell us that they are leaving, otherwise, we could give them a special escort,” Gen. Justine explained. “We would tell our forces to take care and that there is a vehicle going so that they can be on alert, but all this is not happening. There is an escort and forces are all over the road but these drivers are not following this.”
He urged travelers to be patient and move with the escort to save their lives.
The Nimule police chief inspector, Major David Khasmiro, confirmed the incident and said the attackers were unknown.
“A girl and a woman were both shot in their hands. One Darfuri (Sudanese) trader was injured in his legs and all are in Nimule hospital for treatment. These suspects remain unknown but according to the driver, a person just appeared in front of the car,” Major Khasmiro said. “They were two vehicles; the front car was shot and a bullet missed a woman slightly and the second car is where they shot people. The road remains busy. It happens today (Wednesday) but people will continue tomorrow because this risk is divided among people, but people should move without fear.”
Angela Achiro Onorio, a Member of Parliament representing Magwi County in the yet to be formed Eastern Equatoria State parliament condemned the attack and queried what happened to the security escort the government instituted.
“This is a barbaric act of killing the road users. This is very bad and I strongly condemn it. I don’t know what is wrong with the escort, this was the promise that they will provide security for the road users,” Onorio said. “This road is our lifeline and when it is closed it means everybody in South Sudan will suffer. So this road needs to be taken care of seriously by the government.”
Several ambushes have happened on the highway this year alone. In April, an attack on vehicles left two people dead, five others wounded and vehicles torched to ashes. This was after five vehicles came under attack and the drivers were burnt beyond recognition when their vehicles were set on fire.
In May, authorities in Magwi County say a chief and his son were killed in Molujere village of Jebelen in Central Equatoria State along the Juba-Nimule highway.
Recently, the East African business community in South Sudan demonstrated and demanded that the government provide security escort for travelers and commercial goods. The government promised to provide security escorts at the time.