South Sudan’s Kiir Warns of Sudan War Spillover, Orders Tighter Border Control

President Salva Kiir

July 25, 2025 (JUBA) – South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir has warned of the danger of the conflict in neighbouring Sudan spilling across the border and ordered the implementation of strict control measures, following recent security incidents in the disputed Abyei region.

Kiir’s remarks came during a meeting in Juba with the chief administrator for Abyei and were broadcast by state-owned South Sudan Broadcasting Corporation (SSBC) on Thursday. The warning follows a recent prison break and an ambush on traders in the oil-rich region, which is claimed by both Sudan and South Sudan.

“Don’t allow that situation to spill over the area,” Kiir told the administrator, directing him to coordinate with neighbouring states to ensure stability.

Renewed fighting in Sudan’s Kordofan states has exacerbated the humanitarian situation in Abyei, which has become a refuge for many Sudanese fleeing the conflict.

The increased tension prompted Kiir’s directive for tighter border security. Information Minister Yohana Akol Ngor said that on Thursday, armed men identified as members of the Misseriya tribe, who have ties to Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), ambushed traders and stole motorcycles.

He also described a separate incident three days earlier, on July 22, when armed men broke into a detention center in Abyei’s Amiet Market and freed a suspect accused of robbery, along with other inmates.

“The security situation is generally stable,” Ngor said, adding that the situation was contained after the initial panic. He confirmed the president received a comprehensive security report and had directed the administrator “to curb the security situation, especially the situation at the border where crossing activities with Sudan are rampant.”

The legal status of Abyei has been unresolved since a 2005 peace agreement that ended Sudan’s long civil war called for a referendum on whether the territory would remain part of Sudan or join the newly independent South Sudan. The vote has never been held.