JUBA – South Sudan’s main armed opposition group said on Monday it had captured a military barracks in Bari village, about 15 kilometres southeast of Mundri town in Western Equatoria State, following an early morning attack on government forces.
The Sudan People’s Liberation Army in Opposition (SPLA-IO) said its fighters overran positions held by the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF) in Bari, the headquarters of Bari Boma in Kokoti Payam of Mundri West County.
In a statement extended to Sudans Post, the opposition said the attack began at approximately 5:30 a.m. and was carried out by fighters from its Division 9A under the command of former Western Equatoria State governor Alfred Futuyo Karaba.
“On Monday, 12 October 2026, at approximately 5:30 a.m., SPLM/A-IO forces from Division 9A, under the command of Sector Six Commander Lt. Gen. Alfred Futuyo Karaba, captured Bari SSPDF barracks in Mundri West County, Western Equatoria State (WES),” the statement said.
The opposition also said Futuyo had ordered his forces to attack government military positions across Western Equatoria and prevent elections from taking place in the state.
The group did not provide details of casualties or the number of government soldiers involved in the fighting.
Sudans Post was informed that wounded soldiers had been transported to Mundri town following the clashes, while residents reported hearing heavy gunfire from the direction of Bari, raising concerns about further fighting in the area.
The reports of casualties could not immediately be independently verified, and it remained unclear whether government forces had withdrawn completely from the village or were preparing a counterattack.
SSPDF spokesman Maj. Gen. Lul Ruai Koang did not respond to a request for comment from Sudans Post on the opposition’s claims.
Bari is situated approximately 15 kilometres southeast of Mundri town, the headquarters of Mundri West County. Its location along the approaches to the town makes the latest fighting a concern for residents already facing insecurity in parts of Western Equatoria.
The reported attack comes amid renewed tensions between government forces and SPLA-IO fighters in Western Equatoria, where clashes have continued despite the 2018 revitalised peace agreement intended to end South Sudan’s civil war.
Fighting in the state intensified following President Salva Kiir’s dismissal of Futuyo as governor in February 2025, a decision that further strained relations between the government and the SPLM-IO.
The former governor subsequently returned to the bush, resulting in the resumptio of hostilities between government and opposition forces in the state.
In a report published in July, Human Rights Watch documented serious abuses against civilians during fighting between government troops, opposition forces and allied militias in Nagero County in 2025.
The organisation reported killings, sexual violence, torture and widespread displacement, warning that civilians remained vulnerable despite the return of some displaced families to their homes.
Security concerns have also persisted around Mundri. In September, three people were killed when gunmen ambushed a police vehicle near Kotobi village in Mundri West County, according to local authorities.
Later that month, armed men attacked civilian vehicles along the Juba-Mundri road in Mundri East County, abducting dozens of passengers and prompting calls from civil society groups for improved security.
The latest fighting also comes as South Sudan prepares for elections scheduled for December 2026 amid disagreements over security arrangements, political participation and implementation of the peace agreement.
The SPLM-IO, which is a signatory to the agreement, has faced growing internal divisions and renewed confrontation with government forces, raising concerns about the prospects for holding elections in areas affected by armed conflict.
It remains unclear whether Monday’s reported capture of Bari marks the beginning of a wider offensive by Futuyo’s forces or an isolated attack on government positions in Mundri West County.