By Kei Emmanuel Duku
Survivors of Tuesday’s passenger bus attack along the Juba-Nimule road have recounted their traumatic experience from when the ambush was launched to when they were taken captive by the attackers.
They described moments leading up to the attack, and how they navigated through the bush until the national army came to their rescue.
One survivor, Oba Margret, recounted her experience during the ambush. She described the initial noise as resembling a tyre burst. However, as the sounds of gunfire kept increasing, some of the passengers lay in between the bus aisles, while others hid under the bus seats. When they realized that the bus had caught fire, they started to evacuate from the bus.
Margret recalled that those who first exited the bus were shot at after being ordered to retrieve their belongings.
“After getting off the bus, we were forced to lie on the ground as they looted our valuables, including travel documents. They ordered us back into the bus, warning us that if we moved slowly, they would shoot,” she said.
After walking for over half an hour, Margret said they were allowed to rest before continuing their journey. Margret noted that the captives were handed over to another group of men after walking a certain distance, where they were subjected to further searches and interrogations.
The abductors assured them that they would be released, claiming their intent was to target government forces, not civilians.
“When we were set free, they told us to run before they could change their minds. We ran through the thorny bushes; the grass was above our heads. When we got lost, we found ourselves in a valley and sat down to rest. One of my colleagues saw some men, and we ran away because we thought they were coming after us. They insisted that they were the national army coming to rescue us. After a long time convincing our friend, we came out from our hiding spots,” she narrated.
She said that after being arrested in the morning, they walked throughout the day without water or food in the bush until they were led out of the captive zone at 10 PM by the SSPDF soldiers with the help of a torch.
She also mentioned that while in the bush, none of the females were raped by the abductors, although some people were beaten for walking slowly.
Another passenger, who chose to remain anonymous, shared that they departed Juba at 5 AM and encountered the ambush after a one-mile drive from Nesitu.
He narrated that the first bullet fired was directed towards the bus driver but some of the bullets caught the bus tyre and when one of the bus staff came out to check, they fired at him and that time the bullets were coming randomly.
“When we realized that the bus had caught fire, we decided to get off the bus, after which, I assume that was their Commander who entered the bus and instructed the passengers to get out of the bus,” he narrated.
The captive further said that some of the passengers had resisted but after hearing that the bus would be burnt, they got off.
“After taking everything, they told us to get up from the ground and ordered us to line up while walking onto the bush, we were like 20 people, but by the time we reached the base only 12 were remaining, others killed, beaten, and collapsed, if you are tied and can’t walk they killed you, I don’t know what happened to one of the women who was having a child,” he added.
He further said while in the bush they were made to carry their looted bags and other items and they kept on shifting the bags among the captives based on the energy levels of the individuals.
The captive narrated that while in the bush, each captive was allowed to drink one sip from the top of a jerrycan. However, they were only allowed to drink more than one sip after they had carried 3 suitcases for more than 75 km in the bush.
“The base we were taken to is very big, I have never seen it in my life. By midday that was when the government arrived and fresh gun exchanges started again but we continued after a while. They asked us to give them our password to the telephone,” he recalled.
The survivor added that they were asked to change the language setting in their phones to English, and they were freed.
The attack that occurred between Jablen area and Kubi Lokilliri Payam in Juba County, Central Equatorial State has led to the loss of South Sudanese passenger named Joseph Khemis.
At the time of the ambush, 40 passengers were on board, including three staff members. Only 13 passengers, comprising three minors, were evacuated and taken to Kampala.
During a press conference in Juba, Maj. Gen. Lual Rual Koang, spokesperson for the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SPDF) said the six rescued passengers most of who are foreigners included one Ugandan national.
The injured Ugandan is currently receiving medical treatment.
Blame
Gen. Lul had linked the attack to the National Salvation Front.