A road Jebel Boma County - Photo Credit: Wikipedia

At least two people have been killed in a road ambush in Jebel Boma County of the Greater Pibor Administrative Area, according to authorities.

Speaking to Eye Radio this morning, Greater Pibor Minister of Information Jacob Werchum Juok said the victims were two men travelling to their village when they were ambushed and killed on Wednesday.

He blamed unidentified attackers suspected to have come from Kuron Payam in Kapoeta East County of neighbouring Eastern Equatoria State.

“Yesterday [Wednesday] evening, around six criminals suspected to be from Kuron, Payam, Eastern Equatoria State, made their way to Jebel Boma, and then laid ambush. On the process, there were two men traveling to their village, so they were killed,” he said.

Werchum said security forces responded to the incident, but the attackers fled. He added that their footprints were tracked heading eastward toward Eastern Equatoria State.

“And when the security forces tried to check to go to the scene, the footprints of those criminals were moving towards the east in Eastern Equatoria State. So this is the incident of yesterday. Two people were killed on the spot by criminals that were laying ambush on the road leading to the East village,” he he added.

Minister Werchum condemned the attack and called for cooperation between neighbouring communities and authorities to prevent similar incidents and improve security along the border.

However, when contacted by Eye Radio, Eastern Equatoria State Minister of Information Elias Ahaji said his office had not received any official information about the incident.

“We have no information about such incidents. So, all our areas were reported normal, and we have not received such official communication from Pibor. And when we contacted our people on the ground, they have not received such information,” he said.

Authorities in the Greater Pibor Administrative Area say investigations are ongoing as security agencies work to establish the identity and number of those responsible for the attack.