The local authorities in Nagero County, Western Equatoria State, have reported that at least 15 people, including civilians and soldiers, were killed, and several others were injured following clashes between SPLM-IO forces and government troops late last month.
The fighting, which erupted on 28 September 2025, resulted in the looting of the county’s primary health care centre (PHCC), destruction of the main market, and mass displacement of residents.
Speaking to Radio Tamazuj, the Executive Director of Nagero County, Gabriel Bernardo, confirmed that six youth and seven elderly women were among the civilians killed, while three soldiers, including one police officer, sustained injuries.
“The hospital has been completely looted and destroyed. There are no medicines, no food, and people are now sleeping in displacement camps,” Bernardo lamented.
He added that roads linking Nagero to Tambura and Wau remain blocked, making it difficult to access humanitarian aid.
“We are appealing to the government and partners to intervene with medical supplies and food assistance; otherwise, more lives may be lost,” he said.
Emmanuel Justin Bingo, a community leader and preacher at the local Pentecostal Church, said the clashes caused severe panic among residents, forcing many to flee into nearby bushes.
“People are suffering in hiding — there is no medicine for malaria, no salt, no soap, and no access to food,” he stated. “Soldiers are accusing civilians of being rebels, and many fear for their lives.”
Meanwhile, John Tindo, a police inspector in Nagero County, said the SPLM-IO fighters have been active around the area, blocking main routes and terrorizing civilians.
“About 78 percent of the population has fled. The town is destroyed — the market, hospital, and homes are damaged,” he said. “Most people are now in Bazia or sleeping in schools and barracks.”
Tindo confirmed that at least one soldier was killed and two others wounded in the fighting.
Civil society activist Edmund Yakani condemned the violence, urging both parties to cease hostilities and prioritize humanitarian access.
“Civilians in Nagero are in dire need of rescue and emergency assistance,” he said. “There is no schooling, no functioning market, and people are traumatized.”
He further appealed to national and state authorities to divert resources from military confrontations to lifesaving services for affected communities.
Efforts by Radio Tamazuj to reach both the SSPDF and SPLM-IO for comment were unsuccessful.
The recent fighting in Nagero County has left dozens dead, displaced hundreds, and deepened the humanitarian crisis for civilians already struggling with shortages of food, medicine, and basic services.