In a brief statement issued Wednesday, SSPDF spokesperson Maj. Gen. Lul Ruai Koang said four AKM-47 assault rifles and two empty magazines were recovered during an operation, but did not disclose the location or circumstances of the incident.
“Four AKM-47 assault rifles and two empty magazines were recovered by SSPDF from fallen rebel fighters, along with a military ID,” Lul said.
The army did not provide further details, including when the recovery took place, the identity of the alleged rebel group involved, or whether any casualties were recorded during the operation.
The military ID shared by the spokesperson belongs to an individual identified as Werchum Thawan Oleyo Papa, said to be a member of the SSPDF under the Agarab Infantry division.
It remains unclear how an identification card linked to a serving SSPDF member was found among individuals described as rebel fighters. The SSPDF has not clarified whether the individual is active, missing, captured, or suspected of defecting, raising fresh questions about the context of the incident.
Although the location of the recovery was not disclosed, the development comes amid heightened tensions in parts of Jonglei State, particularly in Akobo County, where clashes between SSPDF forces and the Sudan People’s Liberation Army in Opposition (SPLA-IO) have been reported in recent weeks.
The fighting in Akobo has triggered a growing humanitarian crisis, with thousands of civilians fleeing their homes, many crossing into neighbouring Ethiopia in search of safety. Aid organisations and humanitarian workers have also withdrawn from parts of the county due to insecurity, limiting access to life-saving assistance.
Both SSPDF and SPLA-IO have issued conflicting accounts of the situation on the ground, with the government forces claiming to have restored calm and urging displaced residents to return, while opposition officials warn that conditions remain volatile.
The latest statement by the army, while brief, is likely to add to the competing narratives surrounding the conflict, particularly in the absence of independently verifiable details about where and how the reported recovery took place.
