Eight fishermen shot dead as suspected gunmen from South Sudan raid Moyo

The governor of South Sudan’s Central Equotoria State, Mr Emmanuel Adil (in blue suit), arrives for the joint cross-border security meeting at Jale border point in Kajokeji County, South Sudan, on ......

By Scovin Iceta

Unidentified gunmen suspected to be from South Sudan last evening raided Moyo District and shot eight Ugandan fishermen dead.

The victims who were residents of Gbari village in Moyo Sub-county were attacked while fishing in River Nile on the Ugandan side.

Mr Moses Tumwiine, the District Internal Security Officer confirmed the shooting and said a fisherman who survived the attack was undergoing treatment at a health facility in Moyo District.

“It is true we have got the reports of the incident. But already a witness who survived the attack is at our health facility getting treatment. Details can be obtained from him,” he said.

The survivor who sustained injuries on the head has been admitted to Bilbao Health Center III in Moyo Sub County.

In the latest attack, the security personnel said they were still investigating to ascertaining which armed group attacked the fishermen.

The UPDF 503 Brigade Commander, Lt Col David Opeero, told Daily Monitor that: "It is true I got the reports last night that there were fishermen from our side who were attacked. I have sent the intelligence officers to gather more details and we will let you know, otherwise the information is still scanty."

The attack comes just six days after officials from Uganda and South Sudan met in Kajokeji town in South Sudan to discuss how to resolve the continued cattle raids, abductions and the general insecurity situation in the border areas.

During last Saturday’s meeting, Mr Emmanuel Adil, the Governor for Central Equatorial state said the absence of the local government structure on South Sudan side was affecting their relationship with Uganda.

"The border clashes, land and border disputes, illegal logging, high rate of smuggling that happen in the border areas are derailing our progress. We need to identify those weak points and spoilers of our good reputation so that the resolutions that we have already made during our meetings in Koboko and Yei are implemented," he said.

Residents of Gbari village have suffered numerous attacks by armed men from South Sudan who mostly raid their cattle and abduct some of them for a ransom.