UPDF accuses South Sudan troops of border incursion that left seven dead

The Uganda Peoples Defence Forces (UPDF) has accused South Sudanese forces of illegally entering the country and setting up a base within Yumbe district, an act that prompted deadly clashes between the two sides on Monday and Tuesday, leaving at least seven people dead.

The deadly clashes occurred at Fitina Mbaya and Goboro villages in Yumbe District, leaving more than 200 residents displaced and forcing the closure of local schools.

According to UPDF 4th Division Public Information Officer Captain David Kamya, the South Sudanese forces had occupied the territories for weeks, forcibly building houses, displacing residents, harvesting crops and causing insecurity.

The South Sudanese forces, Kamya added, refused to vacate the area, prompting the Ugandan military to intervene in an attempt to resolve the situation.

However, the first unit of Ugandan forces was met with gunfire that killed one UPDF soldier, forcing the troops to retreat before returning with reinforcements, resulting in a full-scale clash.

"On Monday, July 28, as UPDF was trying to approach them for negotiation, they instead shot at us and killed one of our soldiers and injured two others. This prompted the deployment of a force to respond to their fire," Kamya said, according to The Monitor.

"Three of the SSPDF were put out of action, and their equipment was captured as they withdrew back to their territory across the border. This was an unfortunate incident."

South Sudanese authorities have confirmed the recovery of five SSPDF soldiers' bodies, adding that one UPDF soldier and a civilian were also killed during the fighting.

Kamya's remarks were likewise echoed by Daudi Swaliki, the LC1 chairperson for Fitina Mbaya, who noted that the South Sudanese forces first entered the area on July 15, insisting that Fitina Mbaya and Goboro villages belong to them.

The two villages sit along the South Sudan border and serve as a vital transit point for South Sudanese refugees entering Uganda.

"We saw some soldiers armed with guns coming from the South Sudan side on July 15, and they crossed about 200 metres into Fitina Mbaya village, Yumbe District. These soldiers started constructing houses in the village, forcing the residents to flee," Swaliki said.

"The South Sudan soldiers who established their detach started feeding on people's animals like goats, chickens, and other food items, but there was a delay in sending them away."

He added that three men, a woman, and three children were abducted on Wednesday, but only the woman and children made it back home later that night, with the men still unaccounted for.

In a statement on Tuesday, South Sudan confirmed that Chief of Defence Forces, Gen Dau Aturjong Nyuol, had spoken with his Ugandan counterpart, leading to an agreement on several de-escalation measures, including an immediate ceasefire.

The two military leaders also agreed to form a joint investigation committee to establish the cause of the confrontation, while the already established Joint Technical Border Committee will continue its efforts to find peaceful resolutions to recurring border-related disputes

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