By Adi Jildo
Two people were killed in separate road ambushes in Yei River County of Central Equatoria State, local authorities said.
One of the incidents happened along the Yei-Lasu road where armed men attacked motorists in Rubeke area, about 14 miles from Yei Town. The armed robbers burnt down 3 of the 5 motorcycles that were travelling to Lasu Payam.
The other attack occurred along the Yei-Kaya road, four miles from the town.
“One person was killed along Yei-Kaya road and the other in Lasu road and 3 motorbikes were burnt down, while 2 were rescued. They were heading towards Lasu,” the SSPDF Civil-Military Relations and Public Information Officer Lt. Col. Michael Machar told this outlet.
Machar accused the National Salvation Front (NAS) led by Gen. Thomas Cirilo of carrying out the two road attacks.
He condemned the attack saying it is an obstacle to the ongoing Sant’Egidio-led peace negotiation with the holdout groups.
“We ask them to cease from such activities of barbaric attacks on civil population and religious people,” he cautioned.
Meanwhile, the commissioner of Yei Aggrey Cyrus Kanyikwa said those who contributed resources, military equipment and instigated the NAS to attack should be held accountable and responsible for forced agony, dehumanization, war crimes and violation of human rights.
On Monday, the bishop of the Episcopal Church of the Diocese of Morobo Rt. Rev. Amosa Data Elinoma was attacked at gunpoint by armed men, his driver and their property were taken as they were travelling from Koboko to Morobo.
The Morobo County Commissioner also blamed the NAS for the attack.
The office of the archbishop of Central Equatoria internal province his grace Dr. Paul Yugusuk, condemned the incident and appealed to the NAS leadership to prevent such acts.
“We have reliably learnt that this barbaric inhuman act was done by National Salvation Front (NAS) soldiers. We appeal to the leadership of the National Salvation Army to instruct their soldiers to stop harassing servants of God and civilians,” said the archbishop of the Episcopal Church of Central Equatoria Internal Province his grace Dr. Paul Yugusuk.
The clerics called on all armed groups in South Sudan to give peace a chance by utilizing mediation and other forms of negotiations to settle political disputes citing no reasons to target civilians to achieve political games.
