Gunshots rang out in the town of Bor on Sunday afternoon, causing panic among residents, after security forces responded to reports of a recently designated rebel group in the area.
The unrest centred on Marol Market in the capital of Jonglei State.
Local authorities said security forces were targeting members of the Red Belt Movement, an armed vigilante group from the Dinka Bor community that has recently fallen out with the government.
Simon Hoth Duol, Jonglei State’s minister of local government, told Radio Tamazuj after the shooting incident that security forces were deployed after a tip-off from community members who had spotted the group.
“There was a report that members of the Red Belt were spotted in Marol Market, so the security forces responded by deploying to the market and fired into the air to disperse them,” Minister Hoth said.
He explained that the group’s members were recognisable within the community. He described the incident as isolated and said business in the market had continued, urging residents to remain calm.
The state official has not provided details on any casualties from Sunday’s incident.
However, the incident caused significant fear.
One Bor resident, who identified herself only as Achol, told Radio Tamazuj: “We just heard gunshots and started running for our lives. Bor is not safe; we feel threatened.”
Other sources in Bor told Radio Tamazuj that the shooting incident occurred when security forces opened fire on members of the Red Belt, including their leader, Leek Mamer, at a restaurant in Marol market.
Edmund Yakani, a prominent civil society activist and director of the Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO), issued a strong warning about the confrontation.
Yakani linked the violence in Bor to the national political crisis. “The rise in political frustrations among the population due to the long ongoing political stalemate, which has direct negative implications on the economy and livelihood, is triggering more occurrences of a violent approach for resolving the stalemate,” he said.
He urgently called for dialogue to nurture “protection of civilians, security and peace across the country,” stating that the events in Bor were “a strong sign of potential threat to peace and security.”
Background
The Red Belt was once a community-based vigilante force but has recently been designated a rebel group by the government after relations soured.
The group reportedly refused a recent appeal from the national army leadership for its members to join the military formally if they wished to be part of the state’s security organs.