An explosion rocked the SSPDF’s Malual-Chaat Barracks on the outskirts of the Jonglei State capital, Bor, on Wednesday evening, leaving a 14-year-old girl dead and several others injured, according to local authorities.
Jonglei State Police Commissioner Maj. Gen. John Baak confirmed that the blast, believed to have been triggered by a fire in an ammunition store, was exacerbated by the ongoing heatwave in the region. The resulting explosions sent shockwaves across Bor Town, with residents reporting deafening explosions.
“It was a military ammunition store at Malual-Chaat Barracks that exploded because of heatwaves,” Maj. Gen. Baak explained. “This resulted in heavy gunfire [explosion] sounds. Unfortunately, one girl, Adhieu Mabior, lost her life, and two other children were injured and are currently receiving treatment at Bor Hospital.”
For her part, Acting Jonglei State Governor Atong Kuol Manyang said the explosion caused widespread panic among residents and that several children are still reportedly missing after fleeing panic.
“Most of the injuries we received are from outside the military barracks, within the communities, and from different parts of Bor Town,” she explained. “We know so far that one young girl died, and there are several injuries. The number of casualties may increase as we continue to receive more reports.”
This is the third time in less than a year that ammunition exploded in the country. A similar explosion occurred at the Malual-Chaat Barrack on 9 March 2024, but there were no casualties. At the time, SSPDF Spokesperson Maj. Gen. Lul Ruai attributed the explosion to a giant Nile monitor lizard, which he said tampered with explosives.
A similar explosion happened at the Giada Military Barracks in Juba in February 2024 and left eight people injured and a pregnant woman miscarried.
Gen. Ruai reiterated that the heat wave continues to be a major concern and called attention to the location of military barracks within densely populated areas. He has renewed a call by Defense Minister Gen. Chol Thon for state governors to allocate land for military facilities outside major urban centers to minimize the risk to civilian populations when such incidents happen.