Two opposition groups in South Sudan claimed Wednesday that their joint forces captured a strategic army garrison in Western Equatoria State after a dawn assault, and circulated a video appearing to show their fighters celebrating the victory.
The National Salvation Front (NAS) and the Sudan People’s Liberation Army-in-Opposition (SPLA-IO) said in a joint statement seen by Radio Tamazuj that they seized control of the Kadi’ba garrison in Mundri East County. The attack, they said, was a response to what they described as “continuous incursions, harassment, and looting of civilians” by government forces.
The two groups claimed to have killed 13 soldiers from the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPF) and captured weaponry. In a video circulated online, fighters claiming to be from the alliance were seen celebrating near a captured armored personnel carrier and displaying other seized weapons.
A local official confirmed the attack but could not verify the opposition claims.
Mundri East County Commissioner John Henry Ngalamu told Radio Tamazuj that the situation remained unstable and that facts were still being gathered.
“It is difficult to confirm casualties now, but we will release details after the fact-finding process,” Ngalamu said.
Western Equatoria State Police Commissioner Maj. Gen. Phillip Madut Tong said the attack should be investigated by the SSPDF.
The SSPDF spokesperson, Maj. Gen. Lul Ruai Koang, could not be reached for comment.
The two groups recently formed an alliance, citing the collapse of the 2018 peace agreement. The SPLA-IO is nominally led by First Vice President Riek Machar, who is part of the national unity government but has been under house arrest in Juba. The group’s day-to-day operations are overseen by acting chairman Oyet Nathaniel. NAS, led by Gen. Thomas Cirillo, did not sign the 2018 agreement.
The reported capture of the garrison comes as Machar, the SPLA-IO’s leader, stands trial alongside seven co-accused in Juba.