Dawn Strike on Kadi’ba
At 4:00 a.m. on 24 September 2025, a combined force of the National Salvation Front and the SPLA-IO stormed Kadi’ba garrison, Mundri County’s administrative nerve-centre, overrunning South Sudan People’s Defense Forces positions and briefly shifting the local balance of power.
Five SSPDF personnel were reported killed, and an idle armoured carrier was set ablaze in images later circulated online, adding symbolic weight to the insurgents’ message.
Government Counteroffensive
Army spokesperson Maj. Gen. Lul Ruai Koang told reporters in Bilpam that regular troops regrouped and, on 30 September, retook the base together with the charred carrier the rebels had showcased, restoring the state’s flag over Mundri.
He later detailed follow-up operations around Nyaguagi and Maringi, where advancing units met tree-felled roadblocks and ambushes but, according to his account, neutralised seven assailants without sustaining further losses.
Claims and Counterclaims
Social media posts alleging civilian casualties quickly surfaced, featuring five bodies in civilian dress. Maj. Gen. Koang refuted the charge, stating, ‘Our troops never left the barracks to hunt non-combatants’.
He argued that many SPLA-IO fighters wear everyday clothes, complicating identification during firefights and feeding misinterpretations, while acknowledging that livestock were inadvertently hit near a crowded market.
Implications for Western Equatoria
The episodic clashes underscore Western Equatoria’s volatility five years after the revitalised peace accord, spotlighting the challenge of integrating hold-out groups into a unified national security architecture.
Regional analysts suggest that quick military gains may prove temporary unless political dialogue deepens, yet the SSPDF’s swift retake may reassure traders and displaced families eyeing a cautious return to Mundri’s markets.