A stretch of Juba-Yei road | Credit | Courtesy

The government of Central Equatoria State has cautioned the public against traveling on the Juba-Yei road after four people were killed on Thursday.

A state government convoy was attacked in Ganji Payam shortly after leaving Juba for Yei.

It was carrying an advance team of Governor Emmanuel Adil Anthony who was traveling to Yei town.

The governor used a plane, while his convoy traveled by land.

Unknown assailants are said to have ambushed the security convoy at around 1:00 pm in Kagwada area, 58 miles from Juba.

Two National Security Service and two police officers were killed.

According to the State Minister of Information, two other police officers were also wounded in the attack.

“The two injured are currently under medical attention,” Paulino Lukudu told the media in Juba Thursday morning.

“The attackers of course are not known up to today, but we are making fact-finding on the issue to know who in particular attacked the convoy.”

This is the third time a civilian convoy has been attacked in Ganji Payam in the last two months.

On the 28th of March, four drivers; three Ugandans and one South Sudanese were killed and their vehicles burnt to ashes in Ganji Payam.

The following day, armed men again killed four civilians and burnt a passenger vehicle at Ganji stream.

Minister Lukudu cautioned travelers against using the road.

He said the Juba-Yei road is not currently safe until the government establishes the modalities of securing it.

“It is not advisable…their safety will not be guaranteed,” he stated.

The State Ministry of the Local Governance and the Commissioner of Juba County have been directed to develop plans on “whether they [travelers] will be supported with a convoy from the Commissioner or the state level, or be allowed to travel alone.”

Insecurity along the Yei-Juba road has intensified in recent months particularly attacks on passenger vehicles.

The state government has often accused the National Salvation Front or NAS forces loyal to General Thomas Cirilo of being behind the attack.

However, no one has claimed responsibility for the latest attack.