A night-time curfew has been imposed in the town of Torit, Eastern Equatoria State, after a deadly attack that the government blames on opposition forces.

Louis Lobong Lojore, the governor of Eastern Equatoria State, announced the measure, which begins at 6 PM each day, following a surge in security concerns.

The attack occurred on Tuesday morning, with state authorities reporting that Captain John Kamilo, the deputy police inspector for Torit County, was killed.

However, the opposition group, the Sudan People’s Liberation Army in Opposition (SPLA-IO), has contested the government’s version of events. SPLA-IO spokesperson Col. Lam Paul Gabriel claimed that 10 government security force members died in the clash in Torit.

The incident took place a day after Governor Lobong issued a warning to SPLA-IO forces stationed at a cantonment site in Irube, urging them not to intimidate or harm civilians.

Curfew Details

In a public address broadcast on state radio on Tuesday, Governor Lobong declared the curfew would be effective from 6 PM daily until the security situation improves.

“From this day forward, starting at 6 PM, we do not want anyone moving about unnecessarily because there may be criminals hidden among us,” Governor Lobong stated.

He explained that security forces would be patrolling and could misinterpret anyone’s presence as suspicious. While movement is broadly restricted, the governor outlined an exception for “those who have a genuine emergency, such as a person in dire need of medical attention.”

In such cases, individuals are advised to clearly communicate their purpose to law enforcement. The governor also instructed travellers arriving from other areas to remain at the bus park overnight and not venture into the town.