Over 17 Ugandans and 11 Southern Sudanese have been confirmed dead in Southern Sudan about 26 kilometers from the Ugandan border in a road accident that occurred on June 17.

Tragedy: the accident scene in South Sudan

About 70 people also sustained injuries and have been admitted at Nimule Hospital most of them in critical conditions.

Two Ugandan buses, Baby Coach UAP 437L which was coming from Uganda and Bakulu Coach UAN 285Z coming from Juba made a head-on collusion at Arapai village, Pangeri in Payan.

The Uganda police have confirmed the tragedy and said at least the drivers of both buses including Mukibi Godfrey of Bakulu Coach and Joseph Nyanzi of Baby Coach died instantly.

When contacted the Police Spokesperson Judith Nabakooba said that they have unreliable information since they have not got an official report from their Southern Sudanese counterparts.

Though the immediate information puts the death-toll at about 28, some eyewitnesses say the dead could be 40 and the toll is likely to increase since most of the injured were in critical conditions.

It is alleged that Joseph Nyanzi, the driver of Baby Coach was mistaken by the road side to drive on and he crossed to the left side as if he was on the Ugandan roads ramming into Bakulu coach that was coming from Juba.

This is the second fatal accident in hardly two months involving Ugandan traders in Southern Sudan. In May about 11 people died when a flood of water swept the truck that was already stuck in sand on river Kaya.

By Nabula Baluku