The Jonglei State government has ordered a full-scale security crackdown on the notorious Red Belt vigilante group following a deadly weekend shooting in Bor that left one person dead and several others injured.
The directive, issued after an emergency security meeting, comes amid growing public outcry over the group’s escalating violence and alleged involvement in armed attacks, robberies, and targeted killings in the state capital and surrounding areas.
State Minister of Information Nyamar Lony Thichot said security forces have been placed on high alert and instructed to track down and dismantle the network.
Troops have been deployed to key areas, including government residences and Bor’s main market, while additional checkpoints have been set up to monitor movement and apprehend suspects linked to the group.
“All security organs are directed to cooperate in cracking down and apprehending Red Belt criminals in Bor. Two have been arrested, and they will be handed over to the authorities, taken to court, and then to prison,” Thichot told Radio Miraya.
The arrests mark the first major step in what authorities say will be an intensified campaign to neutralize the vigilante outfit, which has long operated on the fringes of the law.
Residents have accused the group of carrying out attacks with impunity and undermining public safety in the region.
Security sources say operations will continue in the coming days, with more arrests expected as authorities pursue known members and dismantle their hideouts. The government has also urged the public to cooperate by reporting any information that could lead to the capture of remaining suspects.
The crackdown signals a tougher stance by Jonglei authorities as they move to restore order in Bor and reassure residents shaken by repeated outbreaks of vigilante violence.
