Aringa Kingdom demands urgent action over renewed Uganda–South Sudan border conflict

Yumbe, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Officials of the Aringa Kingdom in Yumbe District have demanded immediate action from the governments of Uganda and South Sudan to resolve the persistent border conflict that has left dozens of locals displaced.

In the latest incident, armed South Sudanese soldiers reportedly crossed into Ugandan territory, established a detachment in Fitina Mbaya village, Munduchaku Parish, Kochi Sub-county, and hoisted their flag more than a kilometre inside Uganda, claiming the area as part of South Sudan.

The soldiers are said to have been camped in the area for the past three weeks, displacing residents and allegedly harvesting locals’ crops. This incursion adds to the long-standing border demarcation issues along the stretch from Koboko through Yumbe to Moyo, which lacks clear and permanent markers.

This is not the first such incident. In 2020, four South Sudanese soldiers were killed during a similar incursion at Goboro, where they allegedly looted livestock and other property from Ugandan communities.

According to security sources, over 20 armed South Sudanese soldiers entered Ugandan territory, forcing locals to flee their homes, some of whom are now stranded in Yumbe Town without shelter or necessities.

Fadhil Lemeriga, the Prime Minister of Aringa Kingdom, says the situation is dire and calls for swift government intervention to prevent further escalation.

In response to the incursion, the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) pursued the soldiers, but were met with resistance. A firefight ensued, during which one UPDF soldier was killed, and three South Sudanese soldiers were shot dead. Captain David Kamya, the Public Information Officer of the UPDF 4th Division, confirmed the confrontation. He said the South Sudanese soldiers had displaced people and looted crops from gardens.

“On 28 July 2025, as UPDF tried to approach them for dialogue, they instead opened fire, killing one of our soldiers and injuring two others. This prompted a military response. Three of the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF) were put out of action, and their equipment was captured before they retreated across the border,” Kamya said. “It was an unfortunate incident,” he added.

Toah Mafu, the LC3 Chairperson of Kochi Sub-county, said the South Sudanese soldiers insisted that the affected villages are within their territory and told locals to vacate. Lieutenant Nathan Mene, the UPDF West Nile Public Information Officer, urged locals to immediately report such incidents to security authorities to ensure prompt intervention.

During a visit to Yumbe in April 2025, President Yoweri Museveni was reportedly reminded about the ongoing border conflict with South Sudan, but no clear response or solution has yet been offered.

Source: https://www.independent.co.ug/aringa-kingdom-demands-urgent-action-over-renewed-uganda-south-sudan-border-conflict/