15 soldiers arrested after explosion at Rubkona ammunition depot

A massive explosion at an SSPDF ammunition depot in Rubkona has led to civilian injuries. Photo by Peter Bateman/UNMISS

15 SSPDF officers have been arrested in connection with a fire at an ammunition depot in Rubkona County of Unity State on Thursday.

15 SSPDF officers have been arrested in connection with a fire at an ammunition depot in Rubkona County of Unity State on Thursday.

Deafening explosions resounded around Rubkona town on Thursday night as a fire at the Division Four headquarters of the South Sudan People’s Defense Force (SSPDF) ammunitions depot caused dangerous ordnance to rip into homes and barracks.

Civilians living within a two-kilometre radius bore the brunt of this catastrophe. 

Maj. Gen William Manyang Mayak, the SSPDF Infantry Division Four Commander, told Radio Tamazuj on Friday that the explosion at the military ammunition depot left 11 civilians injured.

 “Our military warehouse was burnt, but we are investigating the incident. We have arrested more than 15 soldiers. We have arrested them because they are suspects,” Mayak explained.

He said the 15 suspects in detention had access to the keys to the military warehouse.

 The military officer pointed out that 14 injured civilians are receiving treatment at the main referral facility in Bentiu town.

 “Of the 14 patients, 6 are women. So some of them are civilians residing near the division headquarters in Rubkona town,” Manyang said.

Separately, the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) said in a statement that its demining teams are working around the clock, responding to the incident.

This is easier said than done, reveals Fran O’ Grady, Chief of UNMAS.

“The explosion was massive and, consequently, so is the radius that our demining teams have to focus on, survey, and clear,” he states. “With extreme flooding in Unity state during the past couple of years, our fear is that much of the unexploded ordnance propelled into the air by the fire has been submerged under water,” he adds.

“Climate shocks have created a new threat landscape that our deminers must find ways to navigate successfully to ensure that the ripple effects of this incident do not continue to cause harm to civilians in years to come,” he adds.