KAMPALA, Aug 26 (NNN-Xinhua) — 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.
About 1,000 lorries from across East Africa have stopped at the main crossing point between Uganda and South Sudan after their drivers went on strike.
They are refusing to move until the South Sudanese government offers them protection.
Kenya suspended all deliveries to the country following the killing of two Kenyan truckers in an ambush in South Sudan along the Nimule-Juba highway on Sunday.
At least 30 traders and lorry drivers from across East Africa have been killed this year on the road from the Ugandan border to the South Sudanese capital, Juba.
The highway is notorious for ambushes and illegal roadblocks by some of the militia groups in South Sudan.
The strike comes a few months after the Kenya Transporters Association raised concerns over the number of Kenyan trucks being set ablaze and drivers killed in South Sudan.
The association told its members to withdraw their services from South Sudan immediately until security was assured. — NNN-XINHUA