JUBA, Nov. 20 — A South Sudanese lawmaker has accused the Uganda People’s Defense Forces (UPDF) of repeated cross-border attacks and territorial violations, urging immediate action to address the issue.
Tobiolo Alberio Oromo, a representative of Ikotos County in South Sudan’s Transitional National Legislative Assembly (TNLA), told parliament Monday that Ugandan forces attacked Mosingo village in Isherta Boma, Ikotos Central Payam, on Nov. 17. He alleged the soldiers raided two cattle kraals and retained 14 cows after locals retrieved most of the stolen livestock.
“When the Ikotos County Commissioner approached Ugandan authorities for the return of the cattle, he was told the animals would be sold to fund medical treatment for wounded UPDF soldiers,” Oromo said during the plenary session.
Oromo warned that continued incursions could provoke local communities to retaliate and emphasized the urgency of border demarcation. He also alleged Uganda was building roads in disputed areas under the guise of territorial concessions to South Sudan.
“Uganda is intensifying patrols in those areas, claiming them as their territory,” he said, adding that South Sudan’s Minister of Foreign Affairs should summon Uganda’s ambassador to demand an immediate halt to such activities.
TNLA First Deputy Speaker Oyet Nathaniel Pierino urged Oromo to formalize his complaint as a motion and acknowledged the persistence of border disputes despite previous interventions.
“Border encroachment has become a persistent matter,” Pierino said. “We have summoned the minister of foreign affairs several times, but we are not reaching the depth of the issue.”
The escalating tensions underscore the need for diplomatic resolution and formalized border agreements to prevent further conflict.
