A long-distance bus traveling from Juba to Kampala was attacked by gunmen on Tuesday morning along a main road south of the South Sudanese capital, resulting in at least one death and several passengers feared kidnapped.

The army reported that a Ugandan man was killed, while eight others sustained injuries. Additionally, seven individuals are missing, raising concerns of possible abduction.

Images from the scene depict flames engulfing the bus, with thick black smoke billowing into the sky. Despite an ongoing peace deal aimed at ending years of civil war in South Sudan, insecurity continues to plague many regions of the country.

Army spokesperson Major General Lul Ruai Koang accused the National Salvation Front (NAS), a rebel group led by former deputy chief of staff General Thomas Cirilo Swaka, of orchestrating the attack approximately 80 kilometers (50 miles) from Juba. NAS, which has refused to sign the 2018 peace accord, has not yet commented on the incident.

Earlier, General Koang informed Radio Tamazuj that soldiers dispatched to the scene managed to repel the attackers.

The recent assault is part of a troubling pattern; the road connecting Juba to the southern border town of Nimule has seen multiple violent incidents. In August 2022, an ambush claimed the lives of 11 passengers, including both South Sudanese and Ugandans. The previous year, two South Sudanese Catholic nuns were killed while traveling along the same highway.

The ongoing violence underscores the fragile security situation in South Sudan, despite efforts for peace and stability.