Incursions by Rapid Support Forces Militias in South Sudan Cause Waves of Displacement and Panic Among Local Residents

A South Sudanese official revealed repeated incursions by elements of the Rapid Support Forces, which have caused waves of displacement and panic among local residents, according to his statement.
During a security meeting held last week, Primo Okileu, governor of Western Bahr el Ghazal state in South Sudan, affirmed that these unauthorized movements pose a direct threat to his country’s national security, as reported by Sudan Tribune on Monday.
Okileu pointed out that “the incursions by Rapid Support Forces elements come amid the escalating conflict in Sudan,” adding, “People flee from areas where Rapid Support Forces are present because this group moves in and out of the country without sovereign permission.”
The governor of Western Bahr el Ghazal accused members of the Rapid Support Forces, who have been fighting the Sudanese army since April 2023, of “entering the Bur city area in Raja locality while armed,” according to his statement.
He also noted that “the county commissioner was forced to officially inquire whether there was permission for these forces to enter, to which the leadership later confirmed that there was no official authorization.”
Okileu stressed that President Salva Kiir Mayardit has instructed “to open the borders to civilians fleeing the conflict, but emphasized that any armed movements must be under the supervision of the army.”
Meanwhile, Major General Jiel Mangok Jiel, the regional commander of the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces, confirmed that there are reports concerning these incursions.