The acting commissioner of Pochalla County in the Greater Pibor Administrative Area (GPAA), Owety Olung, has reported that 10 local youths were killed and five others injured following clashes with the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF) on Monday.
The clashes, which started early on Monday morning and continued until evening, came barely a day after the former SSPDF commander in Pochalla, Col. Okony Okwom Othow, was gunned down at his residence by his colleagues SSPDF soldiers. A widow to King Odiel Gora was also shot and injured in the incident.
Speaking to Radio Tamazuj from Pochalla town on Monday night, Acting Commissioner Owety said Monday’s clashes were triggered by elements of SSPDF shooting in the air.
“After the killing of Col. Okony and shooting of a woman, our youth were angered but I convinced them to remain calm and that government will handle the issue,” he explained. “However, on Monday at 5 a.m., SSPDF soldiers started randomly shooting, forcing women and children to flee and compelling the angry youth to return fire. On the side of youth, I received a report of 10 dead and 5 injured. For the SSPDF, we do not know yet.”
The acting commissioner said the tensions remain high and the town has been completely emptied, with the army carrying out airstrikes. He appealed to the national government to de-escalate tensions and carry out an investigation to find the truth about the incident.
“The problem in Pochallla started after the community demanded exit from GPAA, resulting in our civil servants not receiving salaries and intermittent insecurity,” he said. “However, we are shocked that the army is involved in the local politics of Greater Pibor. Their commander started the fighting and even they used gunships to carry out airstrikes on our people at 4 p.m. yesterday (Monday).”
For his part, Lt. Col. Amati Ochan, the county police inspector, confirmed that the situation remains tense and that residents have been forced to flee to the bush and surrounding villages.
“The fighting was fierce. The army was using artillery in a civil population and even gunships were used. Civilians have fled to areas like Otallo and Ajwara,” he said. “As organized forces, we are at our bases at the orders of my leadership. The fighting started at 5 a.m. on Monday. According to reports, one youth was killed and four others were injured but I am yet to be updated as of this (Monday) evening.”
Meanwhile, Maj. Gen. Daniel Justin, the spokesperson for the National Police, confirmed the clashes between the army and civilians but said they are yet to get finer details.
Repeated calls to SSPDF Spokesperson Gen. Lul Ruai Koang went unanswered till today.
Pochalla has been a scene of unrest since 2021, with a series of incidents, including an attack on the Anyuak king’s palace and the killing of a county commissioner alongside his bodyguards, following a demand by the Pochalla’s Anyuak to exit the Greater Pibor Administrative Area (GPAA).
GPAA was created in 2014. It comprises of Pochalla and Pibor counties, formerly part of Jonglei state. The inhabitants of the restive area include the Murle, Anyuak, Jie, and the Suri/Kachipo communities.