A convoy carrying three county commissioners was involved in a road accident near Yambio town, in Western Equatoria State on Tuesday afternoon, leaving five soldiers with minor injuries.
The officials were travelling to Yambio ahead of Wednesday’s official reception for the newly appointed governor when one of the vehicles overturned at about 3pm near Yambio Airstrip, close to a Pentecostal church.
According to John Jeremiah, press secretary to Maridi County Commissioner Daniel Saleh Ballash, the convoy comprised four vehicles — three carrying commissioners and one transporting soldiers from Division Six of the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF).
“The vehicle carrying the soldiers overturned after the driver lost control,” Jeremiah said, confirming that five soldiers sustained injuries but there were no fatalities or serious casualties.
The commissioners travelling in the convoy were Daniel Saleh Ballash of Maridi County, Charles Koro of Mundri East County and Zerifa Dawa of Mundri West County. None of them was injured. Ms Dawa said the incident occurred when a cyclist suddenly appeared in front of the security vehicle near the airstrip. She confirmed that only the security forces’ vehicle was involved and that the injured soldiers were receiving treatment in hospital.
Western Equatoria State Traffic Director Santo Arkangelo Ginana said the vehicle was travelling from Maridi to Yambio with five soldiers and six police officers on board when the driver lost control. He confirmed that the injuries were minor and that the driver has been detained at Yambio police station pending investigations. Authorities said inquiries into the cause of the accident are ongoing.
