South Sudan army deploys peace forces along Torit-Kapoeta highway

JUBA – South Sudan’s People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF) on Friday said it has deployed the Necessary Unified Forces (NUF) along the Torit-Kapoeta highway to prevent insecurity always brought about by robbers and armed groups.

Speaking to Sudans Post in his office in Juba today, army spokesman Maj. Gen. Lul Ruai Koang said the army headquarters in Juba decided to deploy forces following occurrence of frequent ambushes and robberies committed by bandits along the way.

“Is always having problems around camp 15 and kilo four. There are always bandits that are always attacking people there,” he said.

“They would fire at vehicles [and] they would robe passengers of their goods and they would kill them. So, the Necessary Unified Forces (NUF) were deployed there to ensure that the road is safe for everyone,” he added.

The Torit-Kapoeta highway has been a scene of ambushes since 2016. Camp 15 in particular is among the hotspot areas along the Torit-Kapoeta road which is plagued with cattle rustling, killings, attacks, vehicle ambushes, and highway robberies.

In 2021, the Governor of Eastern Equatoria State Louis Lobong Lojore fled an attempt on his life when his convoy came under heavy gunfire from unknown armed men at Budi County.

One of his bodyguards and a wife to the Division Commander were killed in the ambush, while two other people sustained injuries.