Three humanitarian workers were attacked, stripped and tortured along the Lotome-Kikilai road in Budi County, Eastern Equatoria State.

The incident occurred along the Lotome-Kikilai road on Sunday.

Kokol Michael, a state lawmaker representing Budi County, told Radio Tamazuj on Monday that the aid workers were attacked en route to deliver seeds to farmers in Chukudum town.

The lawmaker accused a criminal group from Ikotos County of involvement in the attack on the aid workers.

“The vehicle that was bringing seeds belongs to the Catholic Relief Service (CRS). They were beaten and their phones were taken, but the attackers did not take the seeds,” he said.

Odong Joseph, the Paramount Chief of Ikotos County, said:  “According to the report I received, the vehicle looted was travelling between Budi and Ikotos Counties. The attackers ambushed the vehicle, stripped those people and took their belongings.”

 Amal Jane, a women’s rights activist in Eastern Equatoria State, condemned attacks targeting humanitarian workers and called on the government to investigate the issue and hold the perpetrators accountable.

She said such attacks on aid workers hinder the delivery of humanitarian assistance to the needy people in the state.

 “We really condemn it. The government should take it seriously by making sure that the perpetrators are apprehended. Those are people within the community, they are not foreigners,” she stressed.

The attack marks the latest in a series of escalating incidents targeting aid workers in the country.

South Sudan is among the most dangerous places in the world for humanitarians, according to OCHA. Nine aid workers were killed last year.