Uganda, South Sudan in talks over rampant fatal road ambushes

Uganda and South Sudan are in talks over a growing number of deadly ambushes on South Sudanese territory targeting transit trucks.

Okello Oryem, Uganda’s minister of state in charge of international affairs, is in South Sudan’s capital, Juba, to discuss stopping the ambushes with his counterparts, according to a statement issued by Uganda’s ministry of foreign affairs.

“The government of Uganda a few days ago received with deep shock and concern the killing of Ugandans and destruction of goods along this stretch of road.

“The government of Uganda has expressed its concern in the past and once again condemns the killings,” said a statement issued in Uganda’s parliament by John Mulimba, minister of state in charge of regional cooperation.

The concern of the attacks in which about seven Ugandans were killed had been conveyed to the government of South Sudan, Mulimba said.

Local media reported on Tuesday that at least seven Ugandan drivers had been killed by militants in areas between Juba and the border with Uganda.

In April Uganda asked South Sudan to compensate families of drivers who were killed by unknown militia in different road ambushes.