Seven looted vehicles recovered from bandits in new Gbudue state
January 15, 2016 (YAMBIO) – South Sudanese army (SPLA) forces under brigade 6 commander in the newly created Gbudue state of Western Equatoria said they have recovered seven vehicles this week which were looted by armed youth group in the state during the recent confrontations in several places in Yambio, Ezo, and Tombura counties, respectively.
“The SPLA forces have recovered seven vehicles from the criminals who have been terrorizing the citizens by looting their properties and raping women,” Kur claimed.
He added that the vehicles owners will be allowed to come with documents to identify and verify ownership of the cars and take them.
He did not mention the number of casualties from both sides of SPLA and the armed youth groups during the confrontations, but he confirmed that the SPLA forces have flashed out the armed groups who blocked roads between Yambio Tombura and Ezo counties.
According to other sources, some community members have been inflicted heavy casualties and losses during the fighting.
Brigadier Kur added that, the road from Yambio to Ezo, Source Yubu, from Tombura back to Yambio is now reopen and safe for travel.
Meanwhile the mayor of Yambio municipal Council, Daniel Badagbu, congratulate the SPLA on the “work well done as they pushed away the notorious armed youth group who have been causing insecurity in Yambio at night and along the roads in the state.”
Badagbu added that the seven vehicles recovered during the operation included two vehicles which were looted from the Catholic sisters last month.
He urged the citizens who fled the fighting to return back to their homes as Yambio and some towns are relatively calm after confronting the armed youth groups.
The youth entered the bush, accusing some SPLA elements of killing their family members but later turned against their own people.
Thousands of citizens fled their homes since July 2015 to date and others crossed to Democratic Republic of Congo for safety.
The Government continues to give amnesty to the armed youth to come back home and abandon the rebellion, theft, rape and killing of innocent people.
Church faith based leaders in different denominations in Yambio are mediating with some armed youth groups who entered the bush so that they can present their grievances to the government in a peaceful way so that peace is realized in the state.
(ST)