Africa-Press – South-Sudan. Dozens of people who fled to the UN-run displacement camp in Tambura County of Western Equatoria State, have returned to their homes as the dust settled following tension resulting from a deadly ambush on Governor Alfred Futuyo’s bodyguards.
The state government reported on Friday, March 22, 2024, that one of Governor Futuyo’s guards was shot dead and three others injured in a road ambush in Tambara County.
The incident triggered fear and prompted civilians to flee to the UNMISS camp.
A video shared with Eye Radio shows civilians – mainly women and children clearing areas to set up their makeshift shelters inside the camp.
Aida Iyasio Kasima has been living in the camp since she was displaced by the June 2021 subnational violence in the area.
Speaking in the video footage, she said the incident caused panic among the locals, forcing some to flee in fear of their lives.
“Since the outbreak of the violence conflict up to now, I never gone back I am still here at UNMISS but since yesterday (Saturday), I have seen that many people are coming back here,” she said.
“Many people are carrying their items here, as you can see, all these places are people clearing to put their shelters just because of the incident that they saw which happened on the road.”
“I don’t know what to say about it so for us we are waiting for the government to talk about it because for me I never left UNMISS I am still here where I have seen that people are coming.”
Following the ambush, the state government issued a press statement on 25th March 2024, calling for calm, adding that security forces have been deployed to restore security in the area.
It further conveyed condolence to the family of the slain bodyguard and urged civilians to treat the incident as an isolated case.
“The office of the governor would like to extend its heartfelt condolences to the family of late Malish as well calling upon the citizens to be calmed while security is searching for the criminals,” the statement reads.
“The state authority is aware of the group of criminals terrorizing people in Bodo of Yambio and Bariguna in between Ezo and Tambura, security have been deployed to control the situation in the area.”
“We urge the citizens not to consider this incident as an attack on any tribe, no tribe should take revenge against each other. The relatives of both the late and the injured officers should be patient as the investigation is going on.”
When contacted, Tambura County Commissioner Mathew Mabenge confirmed that the officer’s killing caused panic and displaced more than a hundred people.
Mabenge, however, said the organized forces and elders from the community convinced the displaced to go back to their homes following relative calm in the area.
“Since the day before yesterday when this thing happened, people started fleeing and went to the UN compound for protection.”
“But this morning, I went up to that place we sat together with the elders and the organized forces on the ground and managed to talk to the people, they are about 112 males and females who came back to UNMISS.”
“When we talked to them, they left UNMISS now and the place is empty. Peace is prevailing now, they managed to talk to us, and they are okay.”
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