South Sudan says rebels kill 21 civilians in ambush
NAN-F-6
Ambush
Juba, Oct. 10, 2016 (Reuters/NAN) Rebels attacked trucks carrying civilians in South Sudan, killing 21 people, the government official said on Monday.
According to the report, violence between rival forces loyal to President Salva Kiir and his former vice president have dragged the country back into civil war.
The UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) said in a statement that it received reports of horrific violence being perpetrated against civilians in Central Equatorial State.
However, it urged both rebel and government commanders to control their forces and cease hostilities.
The government said that 21 civilians were killed and about 20 wounded when rebel gunmen ambushed their vehicles on a road connecting Yei town, in Central Equatorial State on Saturday.
Jacob Lem Chan, a Local Government official, said four trucks were ambushed and victims were burned and shot at.
While referring to former vice president Riek Machar’s rebel movement, Chan said, “these are SPLA-IO force who laid the ambush.
“We have confirmed 21 dead, and about 20 casualties were admitted in the hospital, one truck was burnt with victims inside,’’ he said.
Dickson Jock, the military spokesperson for SPLM-IO, denied its forces had carried out the attack and said it directed attacks against military installations only.
“We are not intending to harm civilians or to kill them,” he said.
Violence has been growing in Africa’s youngest nation since July when the rival forces battled each other in Juba.
Machar fled the capital to Sudan from where he has urged his forces to re-organise for “armed resistance” to Kiir’s government. (Reuters/NAN)
(Edited by Damilola Oyewole/Julius Enehikhuere)