Four people killed on Juba-Nimule highway

October 3, 2016 (JUBA) – At least 3 traffic police officers and a village local chief have been killed by unknown gunmen on Sunday along South Sudan’s main road linking the capital, Juba, to Uganda, police spokesman has said.

The killed traffic officers, whose identities have not been released, were attacked on a check point on Juba-Nimule highway at Nyolo, a village some 90km from Juba.

“The gunmen shot three [traffic] police officers dead and attempted to hijack [the] police car,” said South Sudan Police’s spokesman, Brig. Gen. Daniel Justin Boula, speaking to reporters in Juba on Monday.

Gen. Boula said the gunmen ran to neighboring Nelo village as the police and the army were pursuing them, adding “The gunmen opened fire on a village and a killed Nelo head chief.”

Attacks on Juba-Nimule highway surged since conflict resumed in July in Juba between the government of President Salva Kiir and his former deputy, Riek Machar. The SPLM in Opposition often accuses the government of allegedly attacking their positions in Magwi county near the border with Uganda.

The government could not however name the source of the gunmen nor arrested any of them.

(ST)