The Directorate of Civil Registry, Nationality, Passports and Immigration has confirmed the arrest of 17 Eritrean nationals who illegally entered South Sudan while attempting to cross the country’s northern border.
According to the Director General of Immigration, Maj. Gen. Elia Kosta, the arrests occurred in two separate operations in Northern Bahr el Ghazal State, near the border with Sudan.
“The first group of 14 Eritreans, 13 males and one female was intercepted on October 10 in Aweil. A few days later, another group of three two males and one female was apprehended near Beer College, all without valid travel documents,” Maj. Gen. Kosta said.
The 17 individuals, comprising 15 males and 2 females, have since been transferred to Immigration Headquarters in Juba for further investigation.
Kosta revealed that most of the detainees are young people aged between 17 and 20, including one underage female, which he described as “a worrying sign” pointing toward a growing human trafficking network operating across the borders.
“The continued flow of undocumented migrants through our borders suggests an active smuggling and human trafficking route,” Kosta warned.
“We are working with regional security agencies to dismantle these criminal networks.”
He further urged South Sudanese citizens, particularly those living in border areas, to cooperate with security forces and report any suspicious movements to curb illegal migration and trafficking.
