UPDF redeploys in Yumbe after fresh South Sudan rebels attack

The Uganda People’s Defense Forces (UPDF) has redeployed troops to strategic positions along the Yumbe–South Sudan border following renewed attacks by South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF) rebels.

Last week, more than 15 grass-thatched houses in Komorofe village, Munducaku parish, Kochi sub-county, Yumbe district, were set ablaze, with significant property destroyed. The attack came weeks after about 20 armed SSPDF soldiers crossed into Uganda and established a detachment at Fitina Mbaya village, over a kilometre inside the country.

Security sources say the rebels planted their flag on Ugandan territory, harvested crops from residents’ gardens, and forced locals to flee to Yumbe town. UPDF forces responded by pursuing the insurgents, sparking a gunfight that left one Ugandan soldier dead and three SSPDF rebels killed.

Lt. Nasser Mene, UPDF public information officer for West Nile, said the attackers took advantage of porous and unguarded stretches of the border to launch their raids. He said the UPDF has now increased day and night patrols to prevent further incursions by the rebels, who are reportedly based in Kajokeji, South Sudan.

Emergency relief is being provided to displaced families. On July 28, 2025, an attempt by UPDF forces to initiate dialogue with the SSPDF was met with gunfire, killing one Ugandan soldier and injuring two others.

The UPDF retaliated, killing three rebels and seizing some of their equipment before the attackers retreated into South Sudan. The Uganda–South Sudan border remains largely unmarked for long stretches between Koboko, Yumbe, and Moyo, fueling recurring territorial disputes.

The latest clashes echo a 2020 incident in which four South Sudanese soldiers were killed after raiding Goboro village and stealing livestock.