Armed youth group in combats, file photo

A deadly an ambush attack on Tuesday in the Greater Pibor Administrative Area (GPAA) has claimed 15 lives which among them include Jebel Boma County Commissioner, Jeremiah Lothiboi, and a senior area commander of SSPDF, Col. Kaka Thombum.

The incident happened during morning hours when the Commissioner and his convoy were returning from Nyat Payam after they went there on Monday for a field assessment, according to the Pibor’s Information Minister, Abraham Kelang as cited by a media report.

The ambush took place in an area called Takarau, an hour walk from Nyat while footing.

“On Monday, the commissioner, area SSPDF commander, and other officials went to Nyat Payam to assess the area and they slept there. This (Tuesday) morning at 10 a.m. while returning to Jebel Boma town after they completed their mission, they were waylaid,” Kelang said.

Kelang added that those killed also include local politicians, and bodyguards while four others were wounded.

“The commissioner, the accompanying SSPDF commander, and 13 other people comprising bodyguards and local politicians were killed. Four other people were injured.

The prime suspects for the attack are believed to be armed youth but the identities of those killed are yet to be established as investigations take process.

However, the motive of the attack is not clear and no group has claimed responsibility for it.

“Those attackers were heavily armed youth but we are yet to find out where they came from. We are also yet to establish the identities of the 13 politicians and security officers who were killed.”