In a meeting held in Mangala on Thursday, April 6, drivers’ and transport union representatives from Jonglei and Terekeka states agreed to suspend public transport on the main road between the two states.
“We suspended the public transport between Juba and Bor from now due to insecurity, until the government makes sure the road is safe to be used,” said Hassan Billah, a Transport Union representative.
“Yes, there are no vehicles leaving Bor for Juba and that is the same with vehicles coming from Juba to Bor,” said Alier Kuch, the Acting Driver Union Chairperson in Bor.
Public transport was stopped on Thursday, April 6, following two incidents. A car traveling from Jonglei to Juba was ambushed by unknown gunmen near Gemmaiza, Terekeka State an the driver of the vehicle was injured.
In another incident a convoy of vehicles on its way from Juba to Boma State was attacked near Magara. Four people died, several people were wounded and others were reported missing.
Jonglei State Information Minister, Jacob Akech Dengdit, said of recent there have been frequent attacks on the road linking Bor and Juba. He added that “insecurity on that road is being dealt with at a high level”.
Majier Alier, the Commissioner of Bor-Gok County, said the authorities in the two states resolved to have a joint patrol tackling the “issue of road security”.
According to Alier the road was opened again following consultations with chiefs, youth and authorities of Terekeka State. However, Kuch suggests that people who have to travel urgently should use alternative means of transport.
Photo: Cattle cross a road in South Sudan. (Radio Tamazuj)