Worshipers ambushed, three killed on South Sudan highway

By Okech Francis

An ambush on worshipers returning from a religious ceremony in South Sudan’s Eastern Equatoria has left three people dead, police spokesman, Daniel Justin Buolo said.

The people were traveling in a Noah vehicle between Kubi and Aruu Junction when they fell into the ambush, Buolo told Juba Echo by phone.

“The Noah car fell into an ambush and then the three got killed,” he said.

Police from both Juba and Nimule rushed to the scene to respond to the ambush and “they are now pursuing the attackers using their footmarks,” he said.

The worshippers had travelled to Loa Catholic parish to celebrate its 100 years in existence.

The celebration on Sunday was graced by the presence of President Salva Kiir.

Juba Nimule highway had been calm since the beginning of the implementation of a peace agreement in South Sudan last year.

The agreement helped stopped six years of fighting which left 400,000 people dead, displaced four million others and with reduced crude oil production led to economic chaos.

Travellers had rested from continuous attacks in the latter part of the crisis along the highway were hundreds lost their lives.

Last week, armed men attacked a passenger vehicle along the road, killing two people and injuring three others.