A vehicle belonging to the United Nations Mine Action Service in South Sudan (UNMAS) was ambushed in Khor Lahkbata along the Torit-Juba Road, and the passengers’ properties were robbed on Monday.
According to authorities, the bandits threatened the humanitarian workers at gunpoint and later forced the driver to drive them deep into the bush.
The ambush prompted the county authorities to dispatch security forces, who were joined by local youth, to follow the footprints of the bandits.
Last week, humanitarian vehicles belonging to Caritas Switzerland and Save the Children International were ambushed and looted along the Magwi-Torit Road.
Torit County Commissioner Christopher Andrew told Radio Tamazuj that the incident happened on Monday at around 8:30 a.m. and that none of the passengers was hurt. He accused the youth from Greater Pibor Administrative Area (GPAA) of repeated attacks on humanitarian vehicles.
“Unknown criminals ambushed a vehicle belonging to UNMAS. They ambushed one, and the other vehicle escaped up to Khor Lahkabata to report, and the youth, together with the security forces, including National Security, followed their footmarks, and they went that side of Bur where they clashed and they were repelled,” he said. “The suspects are the Murle because the witness whom they threatened testified. The vehicles returned safely, but the staff were robbed of their belongings, including phones.”
However, GPAA Information Minister Jacob Werchum Juk said there are no youth from Pibor in Eastern Equatoria State territory. He urged the Eastern Equatoria State Government to investigate criminal activities in their jurisdiction and desist from blaming Murle youths for all atrocities, saying every state has criminals.
“This allegation is false. First of all, the Greater Pibor Administrative Area is far from Torit. The government present there should investigate within their jurisdiction,” he said. “Every location has criminals, even at your home; there is a child who is a thief, so the Government of Eastern Equatoria State should find the criminals that are doing this on their roads.”
On his part, Jimmy Kilang Silverio, the interim chairperson of the Civil Society Network in Eastern Equatoria, condemned the attack and urged the government to protect humanitarian workers and citizens.
“The demining staff met criminals who took all their belongings and forced the driver to drive them deep into the bush, leaving the driver traumatized,” he stated. “The government must not send the youth after the criminals because the latter are wild, and the youth cannot address the issue. It is the role of the government to protect people.”