The Eastern Equatoria State Government has confirmed clashes in the Nakeke gold mining area of Kapoeta South County over the weekend, saying the security situation is gradually normalising, amid opposition allegations that government forces carried out a reprisal attack against Toposa youth that left several civilians dead.
Caretaker Minister of Information and Telecommunications Akileo Mboya Peter Anyanga said authorities are engaging local communities to restore calm following violence that killed soldiers and civilians and wounded several others.
Speaking during a press briefing in Torit on Monday, Mboya said the government had deployed security forces to restore law and order following a series of armed attacks, road ambushes and criminal activities around the mining area.
“Following that incident, as we speak, the situation is normalising because the government is engaging the community to desist from these violent acts and calling for a peaceful resolution of the problem,” Mboya said.
The minister said the government is particularly concerned about insecurity along the Kapoeta-Ngauro road, which he said had been affected by attacks and blockages.
He accused armed individuals of attacking travellers, looting vehicles and disrupting economic activities in the area.
Mboya cited an incident on September 18, 2026, in which two people were killed after 12 motorcycle riders were allegedly attacked along the road.
He also said a subsequent attack on a government delegation visiting Nakeke on October 21 left a bodyguard wounded.
According to the minister, further violence along the road resulted in the wounding of a Chinese national and a driver, the looting and burning of a vehicle, and attacks on security forces deployed to reopen the road.
He said two soldiers were killed and several others wounded during the confrontation.
Mboya said the government’s intervention was intended to restore security and ensure that mining activities are conducted within the law.
“Community members are asked to resolve grievances through peaceful dialogue rather than armed confrontations,” he said.
However, the government’s account has been challenged by the opposition National Salvation Front (NAS), which accused government forces of launching a reprisal attack against Toposa youth in the mining area.
In a statement shared with Radio Tamazuj on Sunday, NAS claimed that about 600 South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF) soldiers had been deployed from Juba to Nakeke on October 31.
The opposition group alleged that the clashes resulted in dozens of military casualties, destroyed vehicles and the deaths of several civilians.
NAS spokesperson Suba Samuel Manase condemned what he described as the excessive use of force against the Toposa community and called for an independent investigation into alleged human rights violations.
“NAS is deeply regretting the loss of civilians’ lives in Nakeke,” the statement said, accusing the government of resorting to force over disputes concerning community ownership of natural resources.
The opposition group also appealed to the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) to intervene and help protect civilians in the affected area.
Meanwhile, Eunice Nakwar, chairperson of the Toposa Women’s Association, told Radio Tamazuj that the violence had left residents unsettled and appealed for time for affected families to recover before further dialogue.
“First, we have to leave people to heal. First, then we go and dialogue,” Nakwar said.
The clashes have raised fresh concerns over civilian protection, the conduct of security forces and unresolved disputes surrounding artisanal gold mining in Kapoeta South County.
The Kapoeta-Ngauro road also remains a security concern, with the state government saying efforts are underway to reopen it through engagement with local communities.
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