At least 4 civilians killed in deadly convoy attack on Juba-Nimule highway

[Elisabeth Janaina]

At least 4 civilians killed in deadly convoy attack on Juba-Nimule highway
File photo
File photo

Gunmen on Wednesday morning ambushed a convoy of buses on the main
road connecting South Sudan’s capital with the Ugandan border, killing
at least four civilians, a military official said.

SPLA spokesman Lul Ruai Koang told Radio Tamazuj that six others were
wounded in the attack on the civilian convoy escorted by the military
on the Juba-Nimule highway.

Lul claimed that the convoy was “targeted with heavy weapons” and that
gunfire struck the civilian vehicles, saying two gunmen were also
killed when security officers exchanged fire with the attackers.

He accused opposition fighters loyal to former first vice president
Riek Machar of involvement in the incident.

Police spokesman Daniel Justin said the incident took place between
Pageria and Moli areas.

But SPLA-IO deputy military spokesperson, Lam Paul Gabriel, denied
knowledge of the deadly attack on the main road between Juba and
Nimule this morning.

“There were no any SPLA IO soldiers sent to attack public transport
buses on the Nimule- Juba highway, so we are not responsible for
today’s road ambush,” he said.

The highway is a lifeline for South Sudan, which imports almost
everything from neighbouring countries.