A unit of the Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA), the official army of South Sudan, allegedly ransacked a market in the Kajokeji area, sparking armed confrontation in which more than 20 lives were lost.

According to local accounts, the unit of the SPLA deployed to Nyepo payam, located north of Kajokeji, without the knowledge and approval of the local authorities. They then became involved in altercations in the market.

A member of the parliament from the area, who asked not to be named for fear of reprisals, claimed that the armed confrontation was sparked by the behaviours of some of elements of government forces who entered the market to loot.

“My daughter and my brother were in the market when this incident occurred.  What they told me and has been confirmed by several people is that some elements of the SPLA forces that were deployed to Kajokeji recently on dubious grounds decided to go to the market and started taking food items by force from owners,” he said in an interview Monday.

“When they were asked to pay, they refused and said that they have not been paid by the government. Now who did not pay them, government or the civilians?” asked the legislator. “

“This was what caused the fight because youth felt agitated and so decided to stop intimidation,” he explained

Other sources claimed a fight broke out when armed men loyal to politicians allied to the first vice president, Riek Machar, decided to intervene upon seeing the intimidation of the natives by the soldiers.

Upon the clash in the market, according to another source, the local command of the army unit in the area decided to send reinforcements from the main barrack in Mundari area in central Kajokeji but their movement was intercepted and they fell into an ambush laid on the way and lives were lost.

Another reinforcement dispatched from Juba was also ambushed.

It is unclear how many lives have been lost from both sides. Some sources estimated the number of government soldiers killed in the two ambushes at more than 20 lives but local residents put the figures higher.

The SPLA have confirmed that fighting took place in the area, claiming they attacked “criminals” there, but they have denied the presence of opposition fighters in the area.