SSPDF reports no injuries after ammunition depot fire in Jonglei State

JUBA – The South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF) have confirmed that no injuries were reported after one of their ammunition depots caught fire in Bor, the capital of Jonglei State.

Residents were startled awake by heavy gunfire on Sunday morning when the SSPDF’s air force armory depot caught fire.

Speaking to Sudans Post this evening, army spokesman Maj. Gen. Lul Ruai Koang affirmed that an ammunition depot caught fire after it was disturbed by a giant Nile River monitor lizard.

“BM21 shells and fuses were dislodged by the Nile River monitor lizard, leading to a minor explosion. However, there was no damage or injuries,” he stated from his office in Bilpam. “The shells and fuses were securely stored on stands.”

Incidents of ammunition depot fires have been on the rise in recent months. Just last month, a fire at an ammunition depot resulted in the injury of at least eight people, including a pregnant woman who later suffered a miscarriage, at the SSPDF’s southern barracks known as Qiada in Juba.

In a similar incident last year, a fire at the SSPDF’s fourth infantry division headquarters in Bentiu, the capital of Unity State, led to the injury of around 15 individuals, including five civilians.

The SSPDF has been facing challenges in ensuring the safety of its ammunition depots, with incidents of fires and explosions posing risks to both military personnel and civilians alike.

Efforts to bolster safety measures and prevent such occurrences remain a top priority for the defense forces.