Heavy fighting erupted Friday morning between the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF) and the opposition SPLA-IO at a strategic border town near Kenya, local officials and witnesses said.
The clashes targeted Nadapal checkpoint in Kapoeta East County, located in Eastern Equatoria State.
A local chief, speaking to Radio Tamazuj on condition of anonymity for his safety, said the gunfire began around 5 a.m. and was initially mistaken by residents for New Year celebrations.
“This tension began early in the morning. when we heard gunshots, thinking it was for New Year celebrations,” the chief said. “However, it turned out to be clashes with rebels, leading to injuries and fatalities.”
The chief reported that four SSPDF soldiers were killed and one civilian was injured. He added that attackers struck a weapons depot, which “subsequently exploded.”
Tensions remain high in Nadapal following the clashes, according to the community leader
The SPLA-IO claimed it had captured Nadapal, though the claim could not be independently verified by Radio Tamazuj. Maj. Gen. Lul Ruai Koang, the SSPDF military spokesperson, declined to confirm or deny the situation in Nadapal.
Kapoeta East County Commissioner Steve Lowezio confirmed the clashes but declined to provide details. “It is not the right time for me to talk,” he said.
The violence has paralyzed travel.
Another high-ranking official, who requested anonymity for security reasons, said vehicle movement between Kapoeta and Nadapal was halted due to the risk of ambushes.
“Movement has been hindered by the attack, which involved heavy weaponry,” the official said. “Most civilians have fled to different villages, while others are in Kapoeta town, hungry and in need of safety.”
Civil society activist Lokang Augustine Koito condemned the violence, urging both sides to spare civilians. “We are exhausted from this ongoing conflict in South Sudan and condemn it in the strongest terms possible,” Koito said.
German Charles Ojok, an economic advisor to the Eastern Equatoria governor, appealed for dialogue. “Should there be issues, they should resolve them through dialogue rather than resort to violence and victimizing our people,” Ojok said.
The clash in Nadapal follows intensified fighting in recent weeks between the SPLA-IO and the SSPDF in other regions, including northern Jonglei, where the SPLA-IO captured an SSPDF garrison in Uror County on Friday morning.
South Sudan, which gained independence from Sudan in 2011, continues to struggle with the aftermath of a five-year civil war that began in 2013. While a 2018 peace deal established a unity government, implementation remains stalled, and localized violence frequently threatens national stability.