The Uganda People’s Defence Force (UPDF) was Wednesday night involved in a night battle with suspected Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) militants who had invaded Uganda, The Tower Post reports.

The militants had reportedly entered the country through the West Nile region border into areas of Metu and Dufele in Moyo District.

According to West Nile regional police spokesperson Josephine Angucia, the militants were suspected to be harbouring intentions of looting cattle from the residents.

“Upon seeing the heavily armed fighters, residents made an alarm which attracted the joint forces to take up action and repulse them,” Angucia told local news website ChimpReports.

This was not the first time South Sudanese militants make raids on Uganda.

Other the past years, several raids have been witnessed from the border towns and several ambushes on buses travelling to and from South Sudan.