SOUTH SUDAN · SECURITY AND ELECTIONS
South Sudan’s army and police have begun disarming civilians in Wau County, six weeks before the first national election. A local chief reports that residents fled and buildings were looted, which officials have not yet answered.
South Sudan’s army sent heavily armed troops to Wau County on Tuesday, 10 November 2026 to disarm civilians who hold guns illegally. The operation follows an order from President Salva Kiir and comes six weeks before the 22 December election.
The army and the state police describe a security measure to protect the vote. A local paramount chief, the senior traditional leader of the county, says residents of one area have fled and that public buildings were looted, an account not yet verified.
Key Facts
- Where Wau County, Western Bahr el Ghazal State, in north-western South Sudan.
- What Army troops began a civilian disarmament drive on Tuesday, 10 November, on President Kiir’s order.
- Emergency The army says a six-month state of emergency will cover four states, including this one.
- Disputed A local chief reports looting and flight; the police call the area relatively calm.
- Next The election is on 22 December, and voter registration is being prepared.
What the Army and Police Say
Major General Wol Dhel Theip, deputy commander of the 5th Infantry Division of the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF, the national army), said a six-month state of emergency would be declared alongside the operation. He said it would apply in Western Bahr el Ghazal, Warrap, Lakes and Unity states, and called people holding illegal guns “criminals”.
Dhel said guns are dangerous to citizens and to elections, and urged owners to hand them to chiefs or police. State police spokesperson Santino Udhol Mayen, whose name is also spelled Oduol, said the exercise targets civilians without authorisation to hold firearms and follows the merging of former armed forces into the national army.
Mayen described Wau town and the neighbouring counties of Raja and Jur River as relatively calm, with no major incidents so far. He asked residents to cooperate and to report suspicious activity at the nearest checkpoint.
What Residents Report
Emilio Ulau Baggari, paramount chief of Wau County, said residents of Bagari Payam, a sub-district, fled on Tuesday after hearing gunfire in the Bringi area and fearing clashes. He said troops then entered the payam, that nobody was left at home, and that homes, a health centre, a women’s centre and the local court had been looted or vandalised.
Baggari said he does not yet know the full extent of the losses and asked state authorities and aid agencies to help. The county commissioner and the army division could not be reached for comment on these claims, so they remain unverified.
Why It Matters Before the Vote
South Sudan’s National Elections Commission has set 22 December 2026 for the first national election since independence in 2011, and has identified 3,161 voter registration centres ahead of registration. In our assessment, if fear of troops keeps residents of Wau away from registration, that would matter for the credibility of the vote.
Wau County also has a presence of forces of the SPLA-IO (Sudan People’s Liberation Army in Opposition, the armed wing of the main opposition movement), according to one regional report. The army general said there are no opposition forces in the state, a contradiction that makes the disarmament politically sensitive.
What Is Not Known
Neither the army nor the police have said how many weapons have been collected or whether the state of emergency has been formally declared. Nobody has confirmed who fired in the Bringi area or who looted Bagari Payam.
The accounts of the police and the paramount chief differ on whether the situation is calm. We will update this page when officials respond.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is happening in Wau?
South Sudan’s army deployed troops to Wau County on Tuesday, 10 November 2026 to disarm civilians holding illegal guns, on an order from President Salva Kiir. State police say the exercise is under way.
Is there a state of emergency in Wau?
An army general said a six-month state of emergency would be declared alongside the operation in four states. We have not seen confirmation that it has been formally declared.
Have residents been affected?
A paramount chief says residents of Bagari Payam fled and that homes and public buildings were looted. Officials have not responded, and the claims are unverified.
When is South Sudan’s election?
The National Elections Commission has set 22 December 2026, the country’s first national election since independence in 2011.
Sources: SSPDF, statements by Maj. Gen. Wol Dhel Theip, deputy commander of the 5th Infantry Division, 12 November 2026; Western Bahr el Ghazal State police spokesperson Santino Udhol Mayen, 12 November 2026; paramount chief of Wau County Emilio Ulau Baggari, 12 November 2026; National Elections Commission of South Sudan, election date announcement, 22 June 2026. Our related coverage: election guide, Wau court case, party primary gunfire and US travel advisory. Accessed Thursday, 12 November 2026.
More: South Sudan news in English, every day from The Rio Times.
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