By Kei Emmanuel
At least six of the approximately 14 people abducted in a passenger bus attack along the Juba-Nimule Highway have been recovered, the spokesperson for the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF) Maj. Gen. Lul Ruai Koang confirmed.
According to the accounts of those who were rescued, the attackers looted their belongings, including phones, money, and passports.
“They encountered difficulties but eventually met some local youths who were farming and asked for directions to the main road,” Gen. Koang explained.
He said the government forces had followed the footprint left and encountered the former abductees.
Gen. Lul had linked the attack on the National Salvation front.
However, NAS has denied any involvement in the attack, which resulted in one fatality and left eight others injured.
“NAS strongly refutes the cheap and baseless lies of the SSPDF Spokesperson of being responsible for the bus attack. This statement is false and must be treated with the contempt it deserves,” NAS Spokesperson Suba Samuel Manase said in a statement seen by this outlet.
Manase instead criticized SSPDF for failing to provide security on the Juba-Nimule road and across South Sudan.
“The false allegations against NAS are a desperate attempt by the Revitalized Transitional Government of National Unity (R-TGoNU) to divert attention from the pressing issues surrounding its legitimacy crisis,” he added.
The Juba-Nimule Highway is a vital trade route for South Sudan and other East African countries.
The SSPDF assured the public of its commitment to providing security and welcomed any form of regional support, including moral, technical, or financial assistance.
Kabugudho Anthony, representative of the Ugandan Embassy in Juba praised the SSPDF for their swift action in rescuing the abducted passengers. He recalled a similar attack in 2022 that was successfully contained by the army.
Anthony noted that the Juba-Nimule Highway is a major trading route for Ugandans and other travelers.
He emphasized the need for a regional response to address the current insecurity.
While Anthony did not specify the type of regional support Uganda would provide, he stressed the importance of a unified approach to combat the NAS rebels.