200 detainees on loose after mass jailbreak in South Sudan

By AFP - Jan 22,2025 - Last updated at Jan 22,2025

A photo taken on Sunday shows a general view of damaged shops and houses in Sudan's Al Jazira state capital Wad Madani following its takeover by the army from paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (AFP photo)

JUBA — Almost 200 people arrested when recent protests descended into looting in South Sudan remain on the loose following a huge jailbreak, police said Wednesday.

Demonstrations erupted in the capital Juba last week over reports that clashes in neighbouring Sudan had killed 29 South Sudanese, but turned violent with people looting Sudanese-owned businesses.

The anger spread across the country, with officers opening fire to disperse the crowds and later arresting scores, although the exact number detained was never confirmed.

Police spokesperson John Kassara said on Wednesday that 600 of those arrested in connection with the looting "broke out from the military detention facility" in a Juba district at around 9:30am.

He said "550 are civilians and 50 are members of organised forces", meaning that they were members of the armed forces or police.

The military police "shot fire" into the air while chasing the escapees, he said, later recapturing 410 people.

"They are still pursuing the remaining 190 prisoners."

At least 16 Sudanese nationals were killed in the violence last week, with dozens wounded and hundreds seeking shelter with police.

The situation prompted the government to declare a nighttimes curfew, with President Salva Kiir urging restraint.

By the weekend, the situation had calmed although the curfew remains in place.

South Sudan broke away from its northern neighbour in 2011, but the hugely impoverished nation has battled chronic political instability, economic calamity and environmental disasters since.

Hundreds of thousands of South Sudanese fled to Sudan, but the civil war that broke out there in 2023 has seen many travels back over the border.

Most of the million people who have fled Sudan's war over the southern border have been South Sudanese returning to their home country, the United Nations said on Wednesday.

Thousands of Sudanese have also come south, fleeing the violence between two warring factions that have seen tens of thousands of people killed.

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