20 United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS) workers were rescued by Rwandan peacekeepers and United Nations Mission Observers from UNMISS, after being ambushed in Longiro, an area some 58 kilometres north of Torit, Eastern Equatoria. They were part of a team from G4S Global contracted by UNMAS.

“We found them shaken and terrified; some of them had suffered injuries from the attack. They told us they had not slept for five days and were relieved to see us,” stated Major Aime Uwimana, commanding officer of the Rwandan troops.

The UNMAS team were returning from Torit with food and cash supplies for a sister team in Longiro when they were surrounded by some 30 gunmen at a roadblock between Loronyo and Longiro.

“They pointed their guns at us and forced our drivers to stop. They then ordered us to get down from our vehicles and sit on the ground,” said John Mowej, one of the survivors. “Moments later, they fired shots into the air, and we were told to lie face down on the ground,” he continued.

The assailants injured a few UNMAS workers and stole cash and food provisions before releasing them with their vehicles later the same day.

“Once they took all our cash and supplies, they told us to re-enter our vehicles and threatened to shoot us if we disobeyed their orders,” revealed John Maguy, another victim. “However, we heard a gunshot as soon as we were inside our cars. We all thought that one of us had been killed; it was much later that we realized we were all, thankfully, alive,” he added.