Koch County violence reported in Ngony Payam
In Bentiu, government sources reported renewed clashes in Ngony Payam of Koch County, Unity State, involving the South Sudan People’s Defense Force (SSPDF) and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-in Opposition (SPLA-IO). The reported toll was at least five dead on the SPLA-IO side.
Unity State officials describe trigger and casualties
Unity State Information Minister Nyakenya Johannes Keah Ruai told Sudans Post that the violence followed an attack by SSPDF soldiers who had defected to SPLA-IO last year. She said five SPLA-IO soldiers were killed, while no deaths or injuries were reported among government forces.
Johannes also described the SPLA-IO-linked group as being led by General Gatluak Dor Magok, who she said left SSPDF last year. In her account, county-level contacts had framed his return to Koch as part of a peace process that later deteriorated into fighting.
Peace outreach mentioned alongside leadership details
According to Johannes, the commissioner of Koch County told her that Gatluak Dor Magok contacted him seeking peace and requested the commissioner’s presence in Koch. She said the commissioner questioned whether Magok would come as a SPLA-IO representative or as a local youth aware of alleged crimes committed.
Johannes said the commissioner later reported that Magok came to Koch County to support peace efforts, but clashes broke out with SSPDF troops. She added that those killed were described as SPLM-IO members loyal to suspended first vice president Dr. Riek Machar Teny.
Eyewitness accounts raise questions over affiliation
Eyewitnesses quoted by Sudans Post offered a different description, saying the violence began with an SSPDF ambush of armed youth, leaving five dead. One witness said it was unclear whether those involved were affiliated with SPLA-IO.
Johannes said the situation returned to normal after the clashes. The contrasting versions underline the difficulty of confirming affiliations and initial triggers during fast-moving security incidents in remote areas.
What the episode signals for local stability
The accounts point to ongoing volatility in parts of Unity State, where defections and local armed groups can quickly intersect with formal military rivalries. For residents, the immediate priority remains de-escalation, credible communication from authorities, and space for local mediation efforts to proceed without renewed violence.