Spike in Ambushes on Juba-Bor Highway
The dirt stretch linking Juba and Bor has become hazardous again, with successive ambushes rattling commuters and officials.
On Thursday, assailants opened fire near Mogiri, striking a vehicle carrying Jonglei’s health director Reath Koang; his medical status remains unclear.
Two days earlier, gunmen wounded two civilians and stripped passengers of cash and luggage between Bilnyang and Mogiri, forcing many to hide in the forest.
SSPDF Rapid Response Strategy
SSPDF spokesman Maj. Gen. Lul Ruai Koang told Radio Tamazuj that commanders will flood the corridor with patrols and erect new checkpoints to deter gunmen.
“The frequency of vehicles being sprayed with bullets is worrying,” he said, noting the plan will be placed before the incoming defense chief Gen. Paul Nang Majok.
Exact troop numbers and timelines were not disclosed, yet officials insist the surge will restore confidence for traders, patients and students who rely on the road.
Community Perspectives and Concerns
Jonglei Information Minister Nyamar Lony branded the attack on Koang “a crime against public service delivery,” urging collective vigilance alongside the military push.
Frequent travelers say the 190-kilometre artery is essential for food, fuel and medicine; prolonged insecurity spikes transport costs and slows humanitarian convoys.
Search for Durable Security Solutions
Local leaders want arrests, judicial follow-through and the relocation of Mogiri’s cattle auction site, which residents believe offers cover to ambush planners.
Analysts argue that disarmament, improved rural policing and economic alternatives for idle youth will be needed to end the cyclical violence haunting Jonglei and Central Equatoria.