South Sudan Authorities Demand Release of Two Bodies, One Captive Held in Yumbe for Seven Months

Authorities in South Sudan have demanded the immediate repatriation of the bodies of two of their nationals and the release of a soldier who has been in Ugandan custody since a deadly border clash in December last year.

The demand was made during a bilateral border security meeting held in Arua over the weekend, where leaders from Uganda and South Sudan met to seek lasting solutions to the long-standing insecurity along the Yumbe, Kajokeji border.

The two deceased South Sudanese nationals, identified as Daniel Agweri and an unidentified Dinka man, were reportedly killed during an exchange of fire between the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) and the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF) in December last year. Following the incident, their bodies were transported to Uganda and have since been preserved at the Yumbe Regional Referral Hospital mortuary.

Another South Sudanese national, Joseph Mawa, who is reported to hold dual citizenship of Uganda and South Sudan, was captured during the confrontation and remains in the custody of Ugandan security agencies. During the same clash, South Sudanese forces are alleged to have destroyed property, looted livestock andcaptured a Ugandan national identified only as Ciriga, who is reportedly still being held in Kajokeji.

Speaking during the meeting, the Governor of Kajokeji County, Jackson Wani, urged the Ugandan authorities to release the two bodies, free the detained soldier and return the firearms that were recovered during the confrontation.

Yumbe Resident District Commissioner, Hajj Sulaiman Lubwama, confirmed that the two bodies and the detained South Sudanese national remain in Uganda but appealed for calm, saying both countries should continue pursuing dialogue to resolve the matter peacefully.

The Commander of the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF) in charge of Kajokeji, Brigadier General Henry Buri, appealed to commanders of all security forces operating along the border to end armed confrontations and allow peace-building efforts to succeed.