UN peacekeepers set up base in Lobonok to protect against road ambushes

JUBA – The United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) has said that it has established a temporary base for its peacekeepers in Lobonok to protect civilians from road ambushes which have seen an alarming rise in recent months.

The announcement by the UN mission comes a day after two civilians were killed after armed men suspected to be loyal to General Thomas Cirilo Swaka’s National Salvation Front (NAS) attacked a vehicle at an area in Yei river county.

Prior to that incident, a deadly attack which NAS admitted to its responsibility took place in Lobonok last month against a convoy of vice-president for economic cluster James Wani Igga.

That attack killed around four presidential guards and one was kidnapped.

In a statement, the head of UN mission in South Sudan and Special Representative of the Secretary-General David Shearer said the peacekeeping mission is disturbed by the reports of increased ambushes along highways in Central Equatoria state and that troops have been deployed to Lobonok to deter such attacks.

“We are deeply disturbed by the increase in violent assaults on civilians as well as humanitarians who are working hard to ensure that communities receive the assistance and care they need,” Shearer said.

“To help prevent further violence, we have deployed troops to Lobonok this morning to set up a temporary operating base. This will enable us to provide a protective presence in the area. We are also engaging with all parties, including the Government which has primary responsibility for protecting all civilians.

“We are greatly concerned by reports of increased NAS movement across the Equatorias and a series of clashes between its members and forces serving with the South Sudan People’s Defense Force and the Sudan People’s Liberation Army in-Opposition.

“This violence is causing huge tension in the area and putting the lives of civilians at risk. All parties involved are either signatories to the revitalized peace agreement or the January 2020 Rome Declaration so they should respect the ceasefire, stop the fighting and protect civilians.”