A father has been killed and his underage sons abducted while several other people, including his wife, remain missing following a road ambush by armed assailants in Jonglei State’s Nyirol County on Wednesday, authorities said.
The county information director, Both Jal, told Radio Tamazuj that the family was moving from Lankien Town to Cuil Payam when they were waylaid near the Yakuach area on Wednesday morning.
“These people, including a family, were moving to Cuil Payam from Lankien through the Yakuach area. On their way, they were attacked near Yakuach,” he explained. “A father was killed, his two little sons abducted, and his wife and two other women are still missing.”
Jal claims armed youth from the Greater Pibor Administrative Area (GPAA) were involved in the attack. “These people were attacked by youth from Pibor, and up to now, the whereabouts of those missing remain unknown,” he stated.
Newly appointed GPAA Information Minister Jacob Werchum Juok said he was not aware of the attack and that he could not comment further because he had yet to take the oath of office.
Meanwhile, Bol Deng Bol, a civil society activist and executive director of INTREPID South Sudan (ISS), said the attack is disappointing as it occurred on the backdrop of ongoing peace efforts. He added that the recurrent attacks have become a worrying trend.
“This is disappointing to the affected community and equally to us, civil society activists. Unfortunately, this is occurring barely three weeks after the conclusion of a dialogue involving stakeholders from Jonglei State and GPAA,” he stated. “Again, it is worrying in a sense that this could lead to revenge and escalation.”