By Alan Clement
Authorities in Kajo-Keji County, Central Equatoria State, have issued an urgent appeal for humanitarian assistance for displaced families in Bori Boma, Kangapo II Payam.
The appeal follows reported armed confrontation between the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF) and the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) that occurred on July 28 in the Nyainga-Muda area of Bori Boma, Kangapo II Payam.
In a letter addressed to The Relief and Rehabilitation Commissions-South Sudan as well as emergency response partners, concerned citizens and humanitarian stakeholders, Kajo-Keji County commissioner, Wani Jackson Mule, reported that the cross-border clash has forced thousands of civilians, mostly women, children and other vulnerable individuals to flee their homes.
“This incident has triggered a major humanitarian crisis,” the Commissioner stated, emphasizing that the displaced are in urgent need of food items, non-food items (NFIs), and medical support essentials.
According to the commissioner’s letter, the internally displaced persons (IDPs) are currently seeking refuge in bushes, religious centers, and local schools under dire conditions with little or no access to food, water, shelter, or healthcare.
Commissioner Mule has called on the Relief and Rehabilitation Commission, international and national humanitarian partners, faith-based organizations, and the general public to respond urgently to the needs of the affected population.
The appeal by the county underscores ever increasing concerns about civilian protection in South Sudan’s border areas, where cross-border tensions have repeatedly disrupted community safety and stability. Since early 2023, recurring incursions by Ugandan forces into Kajo-Keji have led to civilian deaths, torture, and land seizures, particularly in contested areas like Sunya/Abaya resulting in many Kajo-Keji residents being displaced.
While authorities are urging swift humanitarian intervention to prevent further suffering among the displaced population, the UPDF has not yet issued a response regarding the reported confrontation