South Sudan army denies abduction of Ugandan truck drivers

What the report says

The South Sudan People’s Defence Forces has denied accusations that its soldiers abducted Ugandan truck drivers and took their vehicles in Bor Town, Jonglei State. The denial was made by SSPDF spokesperson Maj. Gen. Lul Ruai Koang in an interview with URN, the wire service cited by The Independent Uganda, after reports emerged alleging that foreign drivers were seized in the area earlier in the week.

According to the article, Koang said the incident was not carried out by SSPDF personnel and instead blamed armed civilians in Jonglei State. He declined to answer some questions about why the alleged attacks happened in the presence of security personnel, saying that local authorities were responsible for explaining and handling the situation.

The report said the denial came as Ugandan truck operators and transport representatives described a different version of events. Isaac Katabazi of the Alliance for Heavy Trucks Federation said six Ugandan drivers were allegedly abducted and two others injured after refusing to give up their trucks. A Ugandan driver in Bor Town, speaking anonymously, said he was assaulted and briefly forced at gunpoint to drive a truck before escaping.

The allegations matter because Bor Town is a key commercial route for cross-border trade, including trucks carrying goods to Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The article also noted that Ugandan officials and security counterparts were coordinating on the matter, while advising traders to consider safety before travelling.