A civil society group on Friday revealed that the death toll along the Juba-Bor highway has reached 20 passengers within four days.
Bol Deng Bol, Chairman of Jonglei Civil Society Network (JCSN) said that so far 30 vehicles have been ambushed by gun men along the high way from April 9 to 12.
“About 30 commercial vehicles have been ambushed, looted and shot at or burnt to ashes by armed elements and about 20 lives have been lost,” Deng said in a statement.
Four people were killed by armed assailants early this week along the highway causing security to close the road for traffic.
Deng said the worst attack occurred on April 9th which caused the highest casualties.
“We are challenging all sides involved to embrace non-violent conflict resolution approaches, instead of picking up weapons to settle disagreements,” he said.
He called on both the government of Jonglei and Central Equatoria State to hold perpetrators behind the road ambushes accountable.
“Continuing to turn blind eye will not end it (violence) but rather escalate the road ambushes along the Juba-Bor road,” Deng disclosed.
Geraid Frances Nyukuye, Central Equatoria State Minister of Peacebuilding who led high-level delegation to Mangalla Payam on Thursday, assured that security has been restored along the highway with traffic resuming.
“The issue is already solved and now the vehicles are moving freely without any problem, we have also urged people on the ground to stay in peaceful co-existence and allow travelers to move freely without any obstruction,” Nyukuye said after briefing Governor Emmanuel Adil Anthony on the security situation.
