Juba-Bor Highway Attack Leaves Two Wounded
Gunmen opened fire on a passenger vehicle between Bilyaang and Mogiri on South Sudan’s busy Juba-Bor highway, injuring two travellers and halting traffic on the crucial link between Jonglei’s capital Bor and Juba, officials said Tuesday.
Witness accounts collected by Drivers Union chair Deng Jool describe attackers emerging from roadside scrub, seizing cash and luggage before passengers scattered into nearby woodland, where most remained hidden until security forces arrived.
Jool confirmed the wounded suffered head and shoulder injuries yet were in stable condition after evacuation to Juba Teaching Hospital, adding that all other occupants had since been traced and found unharmed (Radio Tamazuj).
Drivers Union Renews Market Relocation Plea
The ambush revived the union’s long-running plea to relocate the Mogiri cattle market, which Jool calls “a hub for criminals who target travellers once they offload livestock,” insisting weapons must be banned at any new site.
Security Officials Await Details
National police spokesperson Gen. James Monday Enoka said he awaited an official report and could not yet comment, while Central Equatoria officials were unreachable, highlighting the communication gaps that frequently follow rural incidents.
Peace Process Implications Highlighted
Civil society leader Ter Manyang Gatwech argued the shooting underlines “how fragile the Revitalized Agreement remains,” warning that sporadic violence undermines efforts to consolidate nationwide peace and investor confidence promised under the 2018 accord.
Analysts say tighter patrols and a clear policy on informal livestock hubs could deter highway crime without disrupting trade, but stress that long-term stability still hinges on the full implementation of the peace roadmap.