By Manas James Okony
Following Saturday’s ambush that claimed the lives of four individuals in Jonglei State’s Twic East County, a prominent civil society activist has called for a comprehensive investigation into the incident and emphasizing the need for dialogue among the communities involved.
The incident occurred early on Saturday morning when armed assailants ambushed a passenger vehicle transporting individuals from Bor Town to Uror County.
According to local authorities, the vehicle, which was carrying approximately 30 passengers, including women and children, was attacked near the outskirts of Twic East County.
Eyewitness accounts report that the assailants opened fire on the vehicle, resulting in the immediate death of the driver.
Three additional passengers attempted to escape the vehicle, but two of them were fatally injured during the chaos, with the third passenger succumbing to his wounds later at a health facility.
Juac Arok Juac, the County Commissioner of Twic East, provided a detailed account of the ambush.
“On Saturday at 7 a.m., a passenger vehicle was attacked at the junction of the road linking Twic East to the remainder of the northern counties of the state. The vehicle had left Bor just an hour earlier,” he explained.
He condemned the violence and noted that the incident was under investigation.
Commissioner Juac also addressed rumors circulating about the attack’s potential ties to recent ethnic conflicts between the Duk and Twic East communities, asserting that these claims were unfounded.
“Some people are linking the killing to recent fighting involving communities from Duk and Twic East. This is not true. Among those killed is one of our sons. If the attackers were from Twic East as being claimed by some, they could not have possibly killed their brother. Again, those killed are not from Duk,” he stated, emphasizing the need for unity rather than division in the face of such violence.
The ongoing tensions in Jonglei State have been exacerbated by a history of conflicts among various ethnic groups.
The region has witnessed recurring violence fueled by competition for resources, intercommunal disputes, and the proliferation of armed militia groups.
Such incidents not only claim lives but also create an atmosphere of fear and instability that hinders efforts for sustainable peace.
In a statement to No. 1 Citizen Daily Newspaper, Ter Manyang, a civil society activist and the executive director of the Centre for Peace and Advocacy (CPA), denounced the killings and called for urgent dialogue among community leaders.
“It is very unfortunate that these killings targeting passengers are occurring amidst the ongoing peace tour by the state governor across the counties. Whoever was involved, the act is condemnable, and we call for dialogue,” Manyang stated.
The latest incident adds to a troubling trend of violence along the roads in Jonglei State, where inadequate security measures have left civilians vulnerable to armed attacks.
Local leaders continue to advocate for better equipping of security forces to address the pervasive threat of violence and protect civilian lives.