South Sudan deploys forces on deadly highway

By Acayo Nancy

South Sudan has deployed forces to mitigate deadly ambushes that has left at least nine people dead in this month, police said.

Two drivers of Somali origin were gunned down while travelling on the Juba-Nimule highway in South Sudan on Sunday,

“They have already gone, a very good number of organized forces of police, army and national security to make sure that the road is safe and we make sure that we arrest these culprits,” Police Spokesman Maj. Gen. Justin Buolo said.

The men were killed by unknown gunmen while travelling from Nimule to Juba on Sunday evening, Buolo told Juba Echo on Monday.

 “There were 3 trucks coming to Juba; two of them fell in an ambush as some armed people opened fire on the vehicles [and] as a result, two drivers lost their lives,” Buolo said, noting that a third driver escaped.

Eyewitnesses who preferred anonymity said some of the bandits wore military fatigue.

No one has been apprehended over the incident, Buolo said.

He acknowledged that the military uniform the attackers wore was similar to the uniforms used by both rebels and government soldiers, making it difficult to identify the party behind the incident.

Buolo however said all possibilities point at the National Salvation Front rebel group operating in the area.

The ambush comes on the back of two similar attacks this month which left at least five people dead.

Suba Samuel, spokesperson for the National Salvation Front or NAS denied its forces attacked any one along the Juba- Nimule road.

According to him, NAS does not have forces along the Juba-Nimule highway.

 “We don’t have forces on that road. That is the same work of the government,” Samuel said.