The South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF) on Wednesday lowered the reported fatalities from a weekend attack on gold miners in Khor Kaltan, Central Equatoria State, from 73 to 36.
Maj. Gen. Lul Ruai Koang, SSPDF spokesperson, said in a statement that the final report followed verification of missing persons and eyewitness accounts. “Initial discrepancies were caused by the fog of war, with some reported dead later found alive,” he said.
The attack, carried out on March 28, targeted artisanal miners in the Khor Kaltan area near Jebel Iraq.
The military blamed elements of the SPLA-IO and the National Salvation Front (NAS). Lul said twelve SSPDF soldiers and 24 civilians were killed, while three soldiers and more than 20 civilians were injured. Survivors with severe injuries are receiving treatment at an International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) facility, and others at the Juba Military Referral Hospital, he added.
The spokesman said SSPDF forces pursued the retreating rebels, neutralizing eight combatants, including their commander, on March 29. “The revised toll was based on internal intelligence, community reports, and multiple eyewitness accounts,” he said.
Separately, the Central Equatoria State government released figures on Tuesday showing 37 fatalities, following a state security committee investigation.
According to State Minister of Information Nyarsuk Patrick James, 36 died at the scene, and one later succumbed to injuries at Giada Military Hospital. Twenty-one others were wounded, he added.
“The attack claimed 12 soldiers and 25 civilians, including four women, one of whom was pregnant,” Nyarsuk said. He described the assault as a violation of South Sudanese and international law and called for accountability.
Authorities reported that the security situation in Khor Kaltan has since stabilized, with additional forces deployed, checkpoints established, and mining activities being regulated. Nyarsuk noted that illegal mining remains a concern but stressed that civilians cannot be targeted for unregulated activity.
No group has officially claimed responsibility.
The SPLA-IO condemned the deadly attack on Monday, blaming government forces and asserting that the area was under SSPDF control.