By Emmanuel Mandella

A fresh wave of insecurity has struck Western Equatoria State after two civilians were shot dead by unknown gunmen in Ndavuro village, about nine kilometers from Yambio Town, on Tuesday evening.

Authorities confirmed the incident and have launched an investigation to track down the assailants. Acting Police Commissioner General Samuel Tet told journalists in Yambio on Wednesday that one of the victims was a catechist of Catholic Church.

“The attack happened deep in the bush, far from the main road. We are investigating the matter, and security forces are assessing the situation to take the necessary measures,” General Tet stated.

The assailants reportedly stormed Ndavuro village around 3:30 p.m. before opening fire on the victims. Security forces later recovered their bodies and transported them to the hospital for a postmortem.

Yambio Municipality Mayor John Singira condemned the killings, urging the public to reject violence and focus on development.

“We must stop these senseless killings because fighting has no benefit. If you kill your fellow citizen, who will take care of their children?” he said.

Mayor Singira also revealed that one of the deceased was a well-known contributor to local radio programs, though further details were still being verified.

A relative of one of the victims, Gambori Kumba, identified his late brother as Luka Batakpaningbo who was a regular caller for the state local radio station. He called on the government to urgently deploy security forces, citing growing fear among villagers.

The latest attack in Ndavuro follows a similar violent incident in Rimenze Boma of Bangasu Payam in Yambio County earlier this week. In the incident, gunmen opened fire on a passenger vehicle returning from a funeral in Yambio to Juba, killing one person on the spot and injuring six others.

While the motives behind these attacks remain unclear, residents are increasingly worried about the rise in violence targeting civilians along rural roads.

Authorities have assured the public that security forces will intensify patrols and investigations will be conducted to prevent further attacks. However, local leaders stress that cooperation from the community is key to restoring peace.

“This is not just a government issue. The people must work with security forces to end these killings,” Mayor Singira emphasized.

As investigations continue, residents in Yambio are left grappling with fear, hoping that justice will be served and security restored.