At least seven soldiers with the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF) were killed and one injured following an early morning attack by suspected Sudan People’s Liberation Army-In Opposition (SPLA-IO) forces in Maridi County of Western Equatoria state, local officials said Wednesday.
The assault occurred around 5 a.m. in Monubu village, approximately eight miles from Maridi town along the road to Mambe.
Maridi County Commissioner Alfred Mirri told Radio Tamazuj that the SPLA-IO fighters stormed an SSPDF barracks that had been established recently in the area.
“I condemn the incident. What SPLA-IO soldiers are doing against government forces is not good. This country needs peace, and fighting will not bring development,” Mirri said. “Anyone with grievances should express them peacefully because taking up arms against one another will only destroy us.”
Mirri urged armed groups and communities to embrace peace, saying it is the responsibility of every citizen to help create a stable and secure environment.
John Ezikia, executive director of Maridi County, also confirmed the incident, saying the unit had been deployed only days earlier to patrol the Maridi–Juba road following repeated security incidents.
“The unit was caught by surprise,” Ezikia said. “Seven soldiers were killed, and one was injured.”
Efforts to reach SSPDF spokesperson Maj. Gen. Lul Ruai Koang for comment were unsuccessful.
Mary Osman, the SPLM-IO secretary in Western Equatoria state, said her office had not received official information on the incident.
“We have not received any information so far, but I will coordinate with our structures to get the right details of what happened in Maridi this morning,” Osman said.
The attack marks a renewed escalation of insecurity in Maridi County, which has experienced intermittent clashes between government and opposition SPLA-IO forces.
The violence comes amid a broader political impasse over the implementation of the 2018 peace agreement. SPLM-IO leader and First Vice President Riek Machar has remained under house arrest in Juba since March.
The Revitalized Transitional Government of National Government, formed under the 2018 peace agreement, has struggled to unify forces and prepare for general elections scheduled for December 2026.