South Sudan’s police have enforced a nationwide curfew from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. daily, following a night of deadly riots in the capital, Juba. The unrest was sparked by reports of alleged killings of South Sudanese nationals by Sudan’s army and allied groups in neighboring Sudan.
Police Chief Abraham Peter Manyuat, in a televised address, stated that the curfew, effective Friday, will remain in place until further notice to restore security and prevent further destruction of property.
“The police will not tolerate any violations,” he warned.
The riots on Thursday night claimed at least three lives and left seven injured, some by bullets and machetes, as youths in Juba looted and vandalized shops owned by Sudanese nationals. Similar attacks were reported in Aweil, near the Sudanese border, where rioters burned three houses belonging to Sudanese people.
In response, security forces worked to relocate Sudanese residents in Juba to safer locations, fearing further violence. Shops across several suburbs remained closed on Friday.
The unrest follows reports of ethnically targeted killings in Sudan’s El Gezira region, where members of the Sudanese military and allied groups allegedly attacked South Sudanese civilians. Human rights organizations have accused Sudan’s military of such violations during its ongoing civil war with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), now nearing its second year.
On Tuesday, Sudan’s army condemned what it described as “individual violations” in El Gezira. In response, South Sudan’s foreign ministry summoned Sudan’s ambassador, while President Salva Kiir Mayardit urged calm:
“It is crucial that we do not allow anger to cloud our judgment or turn against Sudanese traders and refugees currently residing in our country.”
The situation underscores the fragile dynamics between the two nations as South Sudan grapples with rising tensions fueled by events in its northern neighbor.
