At least three men who were traveling on two motorcycles from Tsertenya along the South Sudan-Uganda border to Ikotos Town in Eastern Equatoria State’s Ikotos County were killed and another injured when they fell in an ambush on Monday.
This incident happened when two motorcycles carrying five people were shot at by unidentified gunmen.
According to local authorities, several road ambushes have occurred in the same area.
Lokuju Michael, an eyewitness who was traveling along the same road, told Radio Tamazuj Tuesday that he was shocked to witness the killing of three travelers.
“When I was coming from Tsertenya to Ikotos, I initially traveled well. Some boys in Tsertenya told me that some five people moving on two motorbikes had just left ahead of me on their way to Ikotos. When I asked if I could catch up with them, they said no. When we arrived at some point, we heard gunshots ahead of us and some soldiers rushed there,” he narrated. “So, when I arrived at the scene of the ambush, I witnessed that some people were killed on the roadside and the other two might have escaped or could have been killed some distance away in the bushes.”
Lokuju added: “The two motorbikes fell on the side and three people died on the spot and I proceeded up to Ikotos.”
On his part, Ohisa Abraham, a youth leader in Ikotos County, confirmed the incident and said security forces and a group of local youth were tracing the footmarks of the bandits. He clarified that one of the travelers was injured and was receiving treatment for gunshot wounds at the Ikotos Primary Health Care Center.
“An ambush happened along the Tsertenya-Ikotos Road in which three people were killed at a place called Murrum. One other person was shot in the leg and is undergoing some medical treatment at the hospital,” he said. “The boys were killed on Monday afternoon at around 1 p.m. but the message got to Ikotos late in the evening. The victims all belonged to the same family and it is very sad news. The local youth who went with some soldiers to trace the criminals are still following the criminals and have not yet returned.”
Meanwhile, Charles Okullu, an activist in Eastern Equatoria State who doubles as the Executive Director of Peace Link Foundation, condemned the killings and urged communities to discuss ending killings in their localities.
“The incident that happened between Tsertenya and Ikotos where we lost some of our youths is unacceptable, is now unbecoming, and the only solution is for the government to assume its primary role of protecting the lives of civilians and their properties from criminals,” he said. “There is a need now for a community conversation, this is very urgent and serious and communities should begin discussions focusing on why people kill themselves and how to stop the killings.”