By Manas James Okony
At least three South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF) personnel were shot dead and a National Security Services (NSS) officer injured in an ambush.
The incident on Thursday, this week, occurred as armed assailants, attacked a roadside security base in Gumuruk County, Greater Pibor Administrative Area (GPAA).
The SSPDF officers were deployed to protect construction project team working on a road linking GPAA to Jonglei State.
The assailants, described as wearing plain clothes and traveling on motorcycles, opened fire on the soldiers.
Speaking to No. 1 Citizen Daily Newspaper on Friday, GPAA Information Minister Nyinginga Okanho Kiro reported that the incident transpired on the route between Manyabol in GPAA and the border village of Anyidi in Jonglei State.
“This tragic incident occurred between Manyabol and Anyidi, where these criminals approached on motorbikes and began firing upon our soldiers, resulting in the deaths of three SSPDF personnel and injuring an NSS officer,” Minister Nyinginga said.
Condemning the attack, the minister emphasized that such violence is not unprecedented.
“This is not the first such incident. That was the reason soldiers were deployed for protection. Unfortunately, our soldiers were caught off guard, as they initially mistook the assailants for local youth on a hunting expedition,” he explained.
The Minister further indicated that the attackers managed to flee the scene after the ambush, and their identity remains unknown.
The news comes at a time when security remains a significant concern in parts of South Sudan, where various armed groups continue to engage in violence, often targeting state security personnel and disrupting vital developmental projects.
Nyinginga is calling for increased security measures to protect both civilians and government forces.