Soldiers in Eastern Equatoria state hunt for armed criminals

By Simon Deng

Eastern Equatoria state has deployed SSPDF soldiers to track down armed criminals suspected to have been behind the recent attack along Lopa-Lafon-Torit road that left one person killed and two others missing.

Aliandro Lotok, spokesman for Louis Lobong, Governor of Eastern Equatoria confirmed on Friday that soldiers are working with chiefs and youth leaders to identify the suspects behind the road ambush on Thursday.

 “These criminals are known in their areas, the government is calling on elders, youth leaders and chiefs to ensure these criminal activities are eliminated,” he told The Juba Echo.

Lotok disclosed that insecurity has heightened along major roads in the state, thus creating fear among the population. 

 “What the government is doing now is to ensure that youth holding guns in the villages and terrorizing people travelling along the roads have to stop such activities,” he said. 

He added that the government constituted a 15-member committee headed by the deputy governor to disseminate peace across the counties.

 “We want to build a peaceful and harmonious state where everyone can move on the roads in Eastern Equatoria without any problem or fear,” said Lotok.

Since May, Eastern Equatoria has been experiencing rise in violent attacks especially on humanitarian workers where some have been killed and others injured.