The South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF) says it has repelled a dawn attack by forces of the Sudan People’s Liberation Army in Opposition (SPLA-IO) on a military outpost in Bari Boma, Mundri West County, Western Equatoria State.
In a statement issued on Monday, October 12, 2026, SSPDF spokesperson Maj. Gen. Rul Ruai said the attack targeted the military outpost in Bari, located in Kotobi Payam.
Ruai said two SSPDF servicemen sustained gunshot wounds during the attack, but their injuries were not life-threatening.
He commended the soldiers for maintaining what he described as an “impressive defensive posture” during the incident.
The army’s account comes amid conflicting reports about control of the area, with forces allied to former Western Equatoria governor Alfred Futuyo Karaba claiming to have captured a government military position in Bari.
Costa Joseph Aburida, Futuyo’s spokesperson, said in a separate statement on Monday that SPLM-IO forces had taken control of Bari Centre in Kotobi Payam.
Aburida also claimed that Futuyo had directed his forces to attack all SSPDF units in Western Equatoria State.
Gunshots were heard in Mundri West early Monday morning, amid reports of fighting that reportedly triggered panic among residents, some of whom were said to have fled for safety.
Government forces were also reported to have intervened, although the full extent of the fighting and the security situation in the area remained unclear.
The SPLM-IO-linked claim that its forces had captured the military position could not be independently verified.
It was also unclear whether the reported capture and the SSPDF’s account of repelling the attack referred to the same position or whether control of the area changed during the fighting.
Further details about casualties among opposition forces and the impact of the clashes on civilians were not immediately available.
