UPDF to redeploy along Uganda-South Sudan border

Koboko, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Uganda People’s Defence Forces-UPDF is set to redeploy its detachmentes along the Uganda-South Sudan border, following the recent invasion by armed assailants from South Sudan into Oraba town council, Koboko district.

The bandits who are suspected to be members of the National Salvation Front-NAS, a South Sudanese militant group on Tuesday and Thursday last week raided Delambience trading center in Kinyibuli village, Oraba town council and looted locals properties.

The looted items included two heads of cattle, clothes, bags of rice, groundnuts, solar panels, TV screens, grinding machine engines, and cash over UGX 3.5 million stolen from the locals and made way back to South Sudan.

Tom Olinga, the Koboko Resident District Commissioner explains that they resolved during a joint security meeting between Uganda and South Sudanese officials held at Koboko district headquarters on Monday that the UPDF moves to redeploy along the border as one of the interventions to prevent further bandit incursions into Uganda.

He further notes that they will also explore the possibilities of joint operations between two countries to ensure that the common borders remain peaceful.

Joseph Mawa, the Morobo County Commissioner in Central Equatorial state, South Sudan has decried the actions of the bandits noting that the government of South Sudan remains committed in ensuring there is peaceful coexistence between the two countries.

According to Mawa, bandits are taking advantage of the current situation in the country to tarnish the image of the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces -SSPDF.

Among other resolutions, South Sudanese authorities have been given a two weeks ultimatum to find the culprits of the raid and eventually compensate Ugandans who lost property during last weeks incursion.

This is not the first incursion by armed South Sudan bandits into Uganda. In May this year, a group of armed men suspected to be from South Sudan raided Tunzia cell in Midigo town council, Yumbe district, allegedly with the aim of stealing cattle in the area. One was shot dead by the UPDF and an SMG gun with 26 rounds of ammunition was recovered while the three escaped back to South Sudan.