Six bodyguards for Vice-President James Wani Igga have been killed and two others injured after their convoy was attacked by rebels in Lobonok, his spokesperson Kalisto Lado said.
Igga is one of South Sudan’s five vice-presidents in the Revitalized Transitional Government of National Unity (R-TGoNU). He is in charge of the economic cluster.
Speaking to Radio Tamazuj on Thursday night, Kalisto said a vehicle the bodyguards were travelling in was destroyed and burnt by forces from the National Salvation Front (NAS), an armed group that refused to sign the September 2018 peace deal.
"The incident happened on Wednesday afternoon when the convoy was moving from the residence of the vice president in Lobonok to a nearby village. So the bodyguards were attacked by NAS forces on their way," he said.
"In the ambush by NAS forces, six bodyguards of the vice president died, two others were wounded, and one is still missing," he added.
Wani was not in the convoy when it came under attack in Lobonok, Lado said.
Lado condemned the killings and accused NAS forces of violating the cessation of hostilities deal signed in 2019 in Rome, Italy.
"Today (Thursday), the same NAS forces also killed a civilian who was coming from Pageri village in Lobonok to Yapa village. The civilian was killed in cold blood," said Lado.
NAS officers in Lobonok could not immediately be reached for comment.
Lobonok, the home village of Vice President James Wani Igga, is located about 30 kilometres south of the capital Juba on the east bank of the Nile.