WFP trucks convoy carrying food aid. (Photo: UN video capture).

The Humanitarian Community in South Sudan is calling for justice in Friday’s attack that killed two truck drivers contracted by the UN’s World Food Program in Jonglei State.

In a statement extended to Eye Radio, the UN Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said a convoy of 100 trucks transporting food and other humanitarian assistance came under gunfire along the Gadiang-Yuai road.

“Two contracted drivers were shot in the attack, one fatally. Another person died in a road traffic accident as a direct result of the incident,” says the statement.

Several others including a humanitarian staff have been wounded, according to the press release.

The latest attack is one of more than 20 violent incidents against humanitarians in South Sudan since January this year.

Meshack Malo, the Interim Humanitarian Coordinator for South Sudan said the humanitarian community is appalled by the continued attack targeting aid workers.

“The humanitarian community is appalled by the continued attack targeting humanitarian and their assets, the recurring acts of violence disrupt the delivery of the life-saving assistance and must end,” he said.

WFP suspends movement out of Bor

Meanwhile, the World Food Programme has been forced to temporarily pause its convoy movement out of Bor, Jonglei state following the latest attack.

‘“This corridor is critical for our food prepositioning ahead of the rainy season when roads are inaccessible and more than one million people in Jonglei and Pibor rely on the humanitarian food assistance that we transport along this route,” says Mary Ellen McGroarty, the country director of WFP.

“The safety and security of staff and contractors are paramount and when an incident like this occurs its women, men and children in desperate need of assistance who suffer the most.”

According to OHCA, more than one million people in Jonglei and Pibor rely on the humanitarian food assistance that humanitarian community transport along the highly insecure Gadiang highway.

In 2023, an estimated 9.4 million people in South Sudan were projected to need humanitarian assistance or protection service.

South Sudan is one the most dangerous places for aid workers, with nine humanitarian workers killed in the line of duty and 418 incidents reported in 2022.