Two female passengers were seriously wounded in a shooting Friday when their commercial vehicle was ambushed by armed men along the road from Wau to Tonj, according to state police.
The attack was carried out by forces loyal to Gen. Bol Wek of the Sudan People’s Liberation Army-in-Opposition (SPLA-IO), Western Bahr el Ghazal state police spokesperson Maj. Santino Udul Mayen said Saturday.
The two women were shot and are receiving treatment at Wau Teaching Hospital, Mayen said. One was shot in the back and the other in the fingers of her right hand.
“The police commands are actively investigating the incident in coordination with relevant authorities to ensure that the perpetrators are brought to book,” Mayen told Radio Tamazuj.
He sought to reassure the public, describing the overall security situation in the state as calm and under the effective control of security agencies. He called the ambush an “isolated incident.”
“We have deployed our personnel and continue routing patrol at all checkpoints,” Mayen said. “Other police activities are ongoing to deter and promote public safety along the Wau-Tonj road.”
The incident follows recent clashes between rival SPLA-IO factions in the state. Last month, Maj. Gen. Santino Ubuong Bol, who was under Bol Wek’s command, defected to government forces.
Subsequently, Gen. Ubuong’s forces launched an offensive last Sunday against Bol Wek’s barracks, wounding Wek in the leg and capturing the position, according to local reports. The wounded general was reportedly evacuated for medical treatment.
In response, joint government forces have been deployed along the Wau-Tonj road this week to improve civilian safety and prevent further escalation.