Today, March 30, 2023 at 6am, Armed Militia Under Governor Alfred Futuyo of WES joined by Seleka and Ambororo attacked a local armed group in Bambuti (Central African Republic (CAR). The fighting took several hours in the morning and the joint forces were repulsed by the armed group in Bambuti. Bambuti is a village in CAR and is around 10km away from the border town of Source Yubu in South Sudan. The exact cause of the conflict is not yet known.
However, it is asserted that Futuyo’s militia forces in Namutina, Bangaru and Nadiangere villages mostly from the Balanda ethnic group were joined by the Islamist group Seleka and Ambororo and attacked the armed group across the border. The armed group calling itself ANI KPI GBE is a local armed group from the Azande community of Central African Republic (CAR); the group announced a fight against these Islamist groups on March 15, 2023 to liberate their territories in CAR against this Islamist group.
However, Futuyo on March 27, during a public rally in Tombura misled the public that the armed group in CAR is a joint force of the Azande from CAR, DR Congo, and South Sudan that wants to establish an Azande Nation. The Azande in South Sudan refutes this claim and calls it Futuyo propaganda in order to rally public and international support to back his long-term fight against the Azande ethnic group in WES.
A few days ago, a WhatsApp audio was intercepted by the public where the leadership of Futuyo’s militia in Namutina was talking with Seleka and Ambororo Leaders and the SSPDF commander in Source Yubu about a planned attack on the armed group in Bambuti.
This cross-border attack is likely to worsen the security situation in WES, particularly in Tombura and Source Yubu areas. We are calling on the international community, CTSAMM and the UN to investigate this attack which is likely to endanger the peaceful relationship between South Sudan and CAR and cause ethnic conflict in the region.
On June 18, 2021, Futuyo’s ethnic militia in Namutina under the command of Luka Bazia and Tartizio Unango joined by the Balanda ethnic group of SPLA-IO from Wau under the command of Gen. Abdallah Ujang carried out several armed attacks on Azande civilian settlements in and around Tombura and committed several atrocities.
Source: John Mandela, Freelance Journalist, and Civil Society Activist Based in Tombura; email: johnmandela@gmail.com
