South Sudanese police have arrested 32 suspected gang members, including nine minors, in a two-day security operation in the capital, a spokesperson said Thursday.
The arrests, which took place on Monday and Tuesday, were part of a broader crackdown aimed at curbing a surge in violent crime in Juba, according to Maj. Gen. James Monday Enoka, a spokesperson for the South Sudan National Police Service.
Enoka said the suspects were allegedly armed with machetes, knives, cutters and wooden sticks, and are accused of crimes including robbery, theft, assault, murder and drug abuse.
“All the suspects are currently detained at the Gumbo Police Division, where criminal cases have been opened against them,” Enoka said. “They will be thoroughly investigated, and those found guilty will be presented before the court of law to face justice. Those proven innocent shall be discharged.”
The operation is the latest in a series of arrests. Last week, police detained 182 suspects, including four women and nine minors. Of that group, 13 people have been convicted and sent to prison, Enoka said.
“The same will apply to the current suspects,” he said. “We shall ensure the law takes its course. This crackdown will continue until stability and peace are restored in Gumbo and across the country.”
Enoka commended police forces in the area and thanked the local community for its cooperation, calling it crucial to the operation’s success.
“This success is a result of strong collaboration between our security forces and the community,” he said, urging continued public vigilance.
However, the police crackdown in Juba has drawn criticism from some family members and lawmakers.
Some family members complained recently through Radio Tamazuj that their arrested sons were forcibly conscripted into the armed forces and sent to training camps.
Some families alleged their children were subsequently sent to the front lines in Upper Nile state, a region experiencing armed conflict.