A member of the South Sudan Football Association has been shot and injured on his right leg when armed men attacked their vehicle along the Torit-Juba road on Tuesday.
Aburoman Okilek Aburoman who represents Torit Local Football Association (TLFA) in the national body was driving with three senior sports officials in Eastern Equatoria when they fell in an ambush in the Khor-English area, Kudo Payam of former Torit West county. He is currently receiving treatment at Freedom Hospital in Juba.
The other officials who survived the ambush without any injuries include TLFA president Juma Joe Adriano, TLFA secretary-general Martin Oting and the Umjuma Marrie, the chairperson for the women committee.
The associations' deputy secretary-general Ongoro Mark Victor condemned the attack saying the three officials were on a mission to follow up on the phased resumption of sporting activities across the country.
“Their major mission was to go and do some follow-up the sports activities in Juba to get some inquiries on how football can start, they went on Tuesday using Aburoman’s vehicle and on reaching Kor-English they were attacked by three unknown gunmen who happened to shoot the gun up thinking the driver would stop. But the driver did not stop and they just fired at them injuring one person that is Aburoman on his leg," he said.
Meanwhile, the newly elected SPLM secretary-general in Eastern Equatoria State State German Charles Ojok also condemned the attack saying the people of the area are peaceful.
“It is really difficult to know who the attackers could be after all the people of this area are peaceful. We fear these could be the people who used to abduct children on the road or maybe other intruders who might have entered," he said.
The police spokesperson Justine Kleopus Takuru says they just received information about the ambush but will launch an investigation to bring those involved to book.