13 killed in South Sudan highway attack

At least 13 people, including women and children, were killed in an attack by gunmen along a highway linking South Sudan’s capital, Juba to the northeastern state of Jonglei, a local official said Saturday.

Vehicles carrying passengers between Juba and the state capital Bor were attacked on Friday evening, Jonglei Information Minister Jacob Akech Dengdit told Anadolu Agency

“Thirteen people were killed, an equal number were injured and others are still missing, this is very unfortunate incident,” Dengdit said.

No group has so far claimed responsibility for the attack on the usually busy highway.

The South Sudanese Army insists there are no active opposition forces in the area where the civilians were attacked and described highway attacks as “criminal activity”.

The ambushes and sporadic attacks are common in South Sudan since violence flared up in the capital Juba last July between government troops and rebels loyal to former vice president Riek Machar. 

Meanwhile, the Ceasefire and Transitional Security Arrangement Monitoring Mechanism mandated by Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) 2015 peace accord to monitor South Sudan cease-fire violations said on Saturday that all reports indicated that warring parties in South Sudan were still targeting civilians.