At least five dead in clashes between Uganda, South Sudan forces

Soldiers of the South Sudan People's Defence Forces (SSPDF) prepare to be deployed to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) after their departure ceremony at the SSPDF Headquarters in Juba on December 28, 2022. [AFP]

At least five South Sudan security forces were killed in clashes with the Ugandan army near the countries' shared border earlier this week, local officials said Wednesday.

Uganda has a history of involvement in impoverished South Sudan, and has long provided military support to President Salva Kiir, including a deployment of special forces since March.

It was not clear what triggered the clashes on Monday between the Ugandan People's Defence Forces (UPDF) and government troops in Central Equatoria State that were confirmed by South Sudanese People's Defence Force (SSPDF).

Police in Kajo Keji county, where the clashes took place, said "two SSPDF officers, two prison officers and a police officer" were killed, according to a statement from local authorities on Wednesday.

The statement quoted local army commander Henry Buri as saying the Ugandan forces "were heavily armed with tanks and artilleries", and had targeted 19 "joint operation" forces.

There was no comment from the Ugandan government.

An earlier statement by local county officials said there had been "loss of lives and injuries from both sides".

Uganda sent troops to support Kiir when civil war broke out in the country in 2013, just two years after it gained independence from Sudan.

The civil war between Kiir and his long-time rival, Riek Machar, lasted five years and left some 400,000 dead before a power-sharing agreement was reached in 2018.

Uganda again deployed special forces in March this year as Kiir moved once again against Machar, eventually placing him under house arrest.

That has all but buried the power-sharing deal and triggered conflict between the army and members of a militia from Machar's ethnic Nuer community.

The Ugandan army has been accused of using chemical weapons, namely barrel bombs containing a flammable liquid that killed civilians, against Nuer militias in South Sudan's northeast.

Uganda has denied the accusations.