The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Juba, South Sudan | AFP | Unknown gunmen on Thursday ambushed a convoy on the main road connecting South Sudan’s capital with the Ugandan border, killing at least 15 people, officials said.
Nine others were wounded in the attack on a civilian convoy escorted by the military on the insecure Juba-Nimule highway.
“The convoy was attacked in Moli village when it was coming from Nimule to Juba with an escort,” said South Sudan police spokesman Daniel Justine, who confirmed the death toll.
He said the convoy was “targeted with heavy weapons” and that gunfire struck a military vehicle and two private civilian vehicles.
Some of the wounded and the dead were taken to Juba’s main hospital while others were transported to the border town of Nimule.
South Sudan’s deputy interior minister Riaw Gatlier called the incident “unfortunate” and said an investigation was underway.
Thursday’s ambush was the second this week alone on the Juba-Nimule road, after an attack on Monday left one dead and four injured.
The dangerous highway is nevertheless a lifeline for South Sudan, which imports almost everything, and for people fleeing the more than three-year-long civil war for the safety of refugee camps in Uganda.
Since the government began deploying military escorts for convoys using the road in January there have been at least four separate deadly attacks with no one claiming responsibility or held to account.
My only advice to the government of south sudan is…… in order for that high way to be safe….. Why don’t you people clear those trees and grass along side the road to about 600 cm both sides…. those rebels will have no hiding space any more… they will be scare to even attack a convoy…. they are thieves… high way robbers….. pliz our leaders…. do that and u will hear no ambush not even for once…….
I don’t understand what the so called government in Juba is doing exactly. They are good in looting and failed to protect citizens who are being targeted daily based on their ethnicity.
South Sudan is like Afghanistan with Taliban and al shabab or boko Haram in Nigeria.
Let kiir the so called president declare the martial laws in the country to prevent more civilian casualties.
There is need for great prayer so that the Lord Jesus may transform the desires of these wild people who prevail to destroy the image God.May God bless them for they don`t known what their doing.
Wao! what a lost to the p’pn of s s.
Why stage ambush 4 innocent p’ple?.Real! p’ple in s.sudan don’t what they are doing.so,they ‘ve destroyed dia c’try and no one will organiz unless they get together.
ooh my dear god sorry’ why s sudan is not left 2 be handled by the American prs’t to be protected
My god rest the souls of those who fall in ambush in eternal life, government has tried his best to escort them safely, but happened accidentally we can’t blame the government.
Aren’t there American Military personnel there to assist these people?
I really requested both the two party of south Sudan and Ugandan gorvt at least to get solutions to the killing of innocent brothers and sisters being killed, what is the gorvt salvakirr doing on preventing that killing, if not please, please, look at the time of Joseph konyi in Uganda, are there killing when the convoy is on roads, that convoy the majority of people are from neighbouring countries, better this convoy sould be escorted by the Uganda gorvt, let them be the one to manage it.
To improve the safety of this highway of tears, the minister of transport and the government need 4 military petrol chopper well equipped with high function camera ( made in USA). and well trained petrol officers with bullet proved cars that can petrol the road 24/7 and a GPS that detects those unknown armed losers. Trust me you guys will snap those losers like nothing. The government need to take aggressive action.