Morobo careraker commissioner reports civilian abductions, livestock theft near Kendila

An unspecified number of civilians were abducted by armed men suspected of belonging to the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-in-Opposition (SPLM-IO), while about nine goats were stolen from two families near Kendila in Morobo County.

The county’s caretaker commissioner, Isaac Moro Lupai, said the incident occurred at around 1 a.m. yesterday, when the armed men reportedly entered an area south of Kendila and took civilians and livestock.

He said the abducted civilians were later returned, while one person reportedly escaped independently.

Lupai added that government forces moved into the area following the incident, prompting the armed men to flee into the bush.

“What happened yesterday at 1:00, there were a group of armed people who were believed to be from SPLM-IO because it was in the direction of south of Kendila. They came at night and late evening hours they abducted some civilians and then took some goats,” Lupai said.

The commissioner said the incident affected two families and warned that insecurity could discourage residents returning from refugee camps from rebuilding their lives and engaging in farming.

He urged armed groups to abandon attacks on civilians and resolve their grievances through dialogue, especially as South Sudan prepares for the upcoming elections.

“We as a government, we are not advocating for retaliation or to fight cause. We are trying to rely on the amnesty that the president has given. We don’t encourage our forces to go for offensive. All we want is to find a peaceful means of resolving this issue. However, our civilians, they need protection,” Lupai said.

He emphasised that the county government remained committed to protecting civilians and pursuing peaceful solutions to security challenges.