More road ambushes left two dead on Torit-Kapoeta road

August 20, 2016 (JUBA) – More road ambushes along the Torit-Kapoeta road has left two other people dead on Thursday evening, after previous attacks this week that killed several members of the national security traveling on Torit-Kapoeta road.

The situation has also been blamed on the newly created state governments of Imotong and Namorunyang which have reportedly failed to act swiftly in order to control the frequent attacks by armed men believed to be loyal to the deposed First Vice President, Riek Machar.

An eyewitness who said has been frustrated by the weakness of the state government claimed that the authorities “are merely talking and cannot act.”

The incident followed an earlier attack on Wednesday which authorities said left five people dead.

Ikotos county commissioner, Abdullah Salvatore, said the incident took place in the Camp 15 area – approximately two-hours from Kapoeta town. “There was one of police officers in the county, he was escorting the vehicles going to Namorunyang; an incident happened to them at Camp15 inside of Namorunyang,” he said.

Among the dead, he added, included a hired Ugandan driver who sustained injury and died later in the hospital.

He said they have requested the government of Namorunyang state to provide forces to escort the vehicles on the Torit-Kapoeta road.

Earlier this week, the Drivers Chambers Union in Namorunyang State halted the movement of vehicles along the road because of the ongoing violence.

(ST)