Bor County vows decisive action
The administration of Bor County has issued its toughest notice yet to Red Belt commander Leek Mamer, demanding his voluntary surrender as security sweeps spread across Jonglei State. Commissioner Samuel Ateny Pech signalled a readiness to launch a full manhunt if talks fail.
Determined to dismantle groups acting outside state control, county leaders gathered lawmakers, women, youth and chiefs in Bor town. Their consensus: insecurity must end and government authority must be visibly re-established in every payam.
Security operation objectives
Commissioner Pech stressed the campaign targets lawbreakers, not communities. “We stand with the Government of South Sudan,” he told reporters, ruling out any protection for Leek unless he fought “an enemy of the people of Bor County,” a scenario officials dismiss.
He added that local chiefs had been asked to secure a peaceful surrender. Failure, he warned, would leave security forces “to hunt for him ourselves,” underlining waning patience after months of appeals.
Traditional leaders urge unity
Deputy Paramount Chief Gordon Anoon Akol said mere debates over the name “Red Belt” versus “Gel Bai” have deepened rifts. He urged residents who see the group as either shield or threat to “come together and end this issue; Bor has no rebellion history.”
Anoon linked a recent fatal shooting of two people to Leek’s return to Bor, insisting the commander should have stayed away until tensions cooled.
Youth perspectives on self-defence
Jalle Youth Leader Mawut Peter Awan argued vigilantism fills gaps left by the state. “You have failed to protect the people,” he told officials, promising that young fighters would surrender weapons once effective security is guaranteed.
He urged armed youth unwilling to integrate into government structures to return home, disarm and “live peacefully under state protection.”
The figure of Leek “90 Bullets”
Leek Mamer, nicknamed “90 Bullets,” portrays the Red Belt as a figurative belt holding up society’s trousers, rescuing Bor from threats. Authorities counter that his militia now undermines the very security it claims to defend.
Flashpoint convoy ambush
Hostilities intensified on 27 September 2025 when Red Belt fighters allegedly ambushed a convoy carrying three national ministers and Commissioner Pech after a wrestling match. The attack hardened official resolve to neutralise the group.
Dialogue remains possible
Even as the county prepares sterner measures, leaders maintain that surrender and accountability can still avert bloodshed. “Peace is within reach if armed defiance ends,” Commissioner Pech said, signalling room for negotiations before the final deadline expires.