Kampala: Ugandas army, which has been supporting South Sudans ruling faction against its internal rivals, has clashed violently with local armed forces in the country, officials said on Tuesday.
According to Nam News Network, Uganda has been a long-time military supporter of South Sudans President Salva Kiir and announced in March that it had deployed special forces to the country. Uganda’s support backs Kiir as he takes action against his long-time rival, Riek Machar, and militias from Machar’s ethnic Nuer community.
A statement by Kajo Keji County representatives reported that the attack by the UPDF has resulted in loss of lives and injuries on both sides. The representatives noted that thousands were forced to flee their homes and seek shelter in bushes, religious premises, and local schools.
Uganda initially sent troops to support Kiir when civil war broke out in South Sudan in 2013, just two years after the country gained independence from Sudan. The war between Kiir and Machar lasted five years and resulted in approximately 400,000 deaths before a power-sharing agreement was reached in 2018.
This deal has been jeopardized by Kiir’s recent efforts to marginalize Machar, raising concerns of renewed ethnic conflict. Furthermore, the Ugandan army has faced accusations of using chemical weapons, specifically barrel bombs containing a flammable liquid, against Nuer militias in South Sudan’s northeast.