Two civilians were killed and a third was injured Wednesday in an ambush in Abiemnhom County, local authorities said, with officials blaming suspected armed youth from a neighboring county.
The victims were traveling by motorcycle from Abiemnhom County in the Ruweng Administrative Area to Mayom County in Unity State when they were attacked on the connecting road, Abiemnhom County Commissioner Mario Deng said.
The deceased were identified as Makol Marial and Aguek Achol. The injured motorcycle driver was receiving treatment at Abiemnhom Hospital, Deng said.
“We condemn the incident that took the lives of two men and injured another person,” Deng told Radio Tamazuj. He said he suspected armed youth from Mayom County were responsible and that he had contacted Mayom’s new commissioner to address the issue.
Deng also cited recent attacks on farmers in Abiemnhom, alleging a pattern of violence originating from across the border.
However, Mayom County Executive Director Duol Thak denied any involvement by youth from his area. He asserted the attackers belonged to an opposition group led by Gen. Stephen Bany, citing community reports that the assailants used PKM machine guns, which he said local armed youth do not possess.
“This was a criminal attack on the motorcycle passengers, but those responsible are from the opposition under Gen. Stephen Bany, not from Mayom County,” Thak said.
The Sudan People’s Patriotic Movement/Army (SSPM/A), a rebel group with a presence in Mayom County, could not immediately be reached for comment.
The neighboring counties of Mayom and Abiemnhom have a history of violent incidents related to cattle raids, intercommunal conflict and criminal attacks.