By Manas James Okony
Four people were killed, two others injured, and 30 children abducted in a road ambush by armed bandits in Duk County, Jonglei State, on Tuesday, police and local authorities said.
The state police commissioner, Maj. Gen. Elia Costa Faustino confirmed the incident to No. 1 Citizen Newspaper, on Wednesday.
He said that the bandits attacked a vehicle carrying passengers, between Poktap and Pajut towns, on Monday morning.
“On Monday, at 10 a.m., there was a vehicle going from Duk Payuel Payam to Pajut. On the road, they fell into ambush, leaving four dead and injuring two,” he said.
Gen. Elia said the attackers, whose identities remained unknown, escaped to the bush before any arrest could be made.
However, Peter Latjor Chuol, the Duk County commissioner, put the number of casualties at 8 and said that 30 children were also kidnapped.
“The attack happened in a place called Apirdong, when a vehicle moving from Poktap town of Dukpayuel Payam to Pajut town of Dukpanyang Payam was attacked,” he narrated.
Driver of the vehicle is among the four people who died while six people escaped and survived the attack.
According to Chuol, the vehicle was carrying about 40 passengers, almost all were children. Some of them were to be dropped in Pajut before proceeding to Uror County with the rest.
“We have yet to establish how many children belong to Duk Uror,” Chuol said.
Uror County commissioner, Machot Gatlusk Kenyjak also confirmed the incident but said details were scanty.
“Those attacked are from my county. More than 40 children are still missing because they were either killed or abducted. We are still trying to get details of the names and ages of these children,” he noted.
No group has claimed responsibility; however, revenge attacks often accompanied by killing and abduction are common practices among communities, in the area.