Five Ugandans died after a UPDF truck they were travelling in failed to negotiate a round corner at Jabuleni in Eastern Equatoria province in South Sudan.
These were part of thousands of other Ugandan nationals being evacuated by the Uganda People's Defence Forces (UPDF) following fresh fighting in the young African country.
According to Lt Hassan Kato, the UPDF spokesperson for the evacuation, the fatal accident occurred when a UPDF truck carrying over 100 Ugandans failed to go round a corner, killing five and leaving 54 others injured.
The Aswa regional police spokesperson, Patrick Jimmy Okema, explains that three people died on the spot, while two others breathed their last as they were being rushed to a hospital.
After the Tuesday accident, the injured were airlifted by a UPDF helicopter to Gulu regional referral hospital for proper treatment.
The deceased could not be identified as they had no identification cards on them.
UPDF began the evacuation exercise last week after forces loyal to President Salva Kiir and his Vice President Dr. Riek Machar started exchanging fire at a checkpoint in the capital Juba.
According to UPDF, so far 21,000 Ugandans have been evacuated at the directive of President Yoweri Museveni.
Meanwhile, another Ugandan identified as Fred Jamil was also knocked dead yesterday by a bus evacuating Ugandans from South Sudan.
Jamil was reportedly riding a motorcycle alongside the convoy ferrying other Ugandans from South Sudan when he was knocked by a bus belonging to Crown coaches registration number UAN281Z at Wili Wili village in Bibia in Amuru district.
[Photo By Julius Ocungi]
