Officials in South Sudan’s Jonglei state have accused a group calling itself the Red Belt of carrying out a months-long campaign of violence, culminating in an ambush over the weekend that killed a young girl and wounded two others.
Governor Dr. Riek Gai Kok, speaking to reporters Monday in Bor, outlined a series of attacks allegedly perpetrated by the group, which authorities have classified as a criminal organization.
The most recent incident occurred Saturday, Sept. 27, when suspected Red Belt members attempted to enter a wrestling tournament in Bor while carrying weapons. After being turned away by security personnel, the group allegedly ambushed National Security Forces at the Karuma Bridge later that day, resulting in the casualties.
Kok condemned the ambush as the most severe act attributed to the group to date. He also detailed earlier incidents, including a Sept. 7 assault on a group of young entrepreneurs from Northern Bahr el Ghazal that left seven people wounded and property looted. In July, the group reportedly raided the Mogiri cattle camp, killing several people and rustling livestock.
On June 21, armed individuals wearing uniforms and bearing Red Belt emblems disrupted the inauguration of a health center in Kolmarek by opening fire randomly during the event. The ceremony was attended by Governor Kok and senior presidential advisor Kuol Manyang. Later that month, another community gathering in Yomchir Boma, organized by diaspora returnees, was attacked in similar fashion, forcing attendees to flee under gunfire.
Kok also cited a February ambush that targeted the national Minister of Wildlife, Conservation and Tourism, Rizik Zachariah Hassan, and members of his team.
In response to the escalating violence, the Jonglei state government has directed local authorities in Bor to introduce new laws aimed at promoting peace and has ordered all security agencies to take immediate steps to apprehend those responsible.
Governor Kok assured residents that the situation is under control but warned against any form of collaboration with the Red Belt, saying that sheltering members of the group would be treated as a criminal offense.
It remains unclear who funds the Red Belt, when the group was formed, or how many members it has. Authorities have not provided evidence publicly linking the suspects to a broader political or militant agenda.
The state governor added that President Salva Kiir has been fully briefed on the situation and the measures being taken to address it.