At least nine people were killed when unknown gunmen opened fire on passengers traveling in a commercial truck from Western Equatoria to Terakeka county, Central Equatoria state, authorities said Wednesday.

Terekeka County commissioner Jacob Gore Samuel said the incident took place at Tale area, located between Western Equatoria’s Mundri East county and the Mapuordit region in Lakes State’s Yirol West county.

The motive of the attack remains unclear. Gore said he received reports from local residents and witnesses that the assailants appeared and shot travelers without questioning on Tuesday.

"Nobody knows the intention of the attackers," he said. "They did not even stop the car to ask for anything so that it could have an opportunity to identify them. They just fired rounds on the car when it approached where they were in. It was like they knew there was a car coming from the direction in which they laid ambush."

The commissioner said the assailants fled after realizing that they killed people. According to Gore, the chiefs in the area and the security forces are tracing their foot tracks.

“We are not accusing anyone now. We want to first of all find their identities before we can say anything. We do not want to act on speculation or guesswork. We are the authorities and we must do our work first. The guesswork should be left to the people without authority. We will get them," Gore said.

Gore urged relatives of the victims to be patient and allow the government to carry out the investigation.

File photo: A landmine accident in Unity State in 2011 (Radio Tamazuj)