Kenya is extending the border line deep inside South Sudan, officials in Eastern Equatoria State have said.

The commissioner of Kapoeta East, Titus Lokwacuma, says the Kenyan authorities have moved almost 1 kilometer into the border town of Nadapal.

“There was an agreement signed in 2009 to allow the presence of Kenya authority in Nadapal and we are respecting that,” Mr Lokwacuma explained.

“Unfortunately last month, they started to extend the fence by almost one kilometer. They put the poles and even put the wire mesh and even prevent now the local community. The animals cannot graze.”

Mr Titus has called on the national government to intervene.

Kenyan authorities have not commented on the matter.

Many analysts believe that the occupation might have been triggered by recent discoveries of oil near the disputed Ilemi Triangle.

The Ilemi Triangle is an area of disputed land in East Africa of approximately 10,000 square kilometers.

Kenya, the state with de facto control, and South Sudan have been the principal claimants of the territory although Ethiopia has also played a role.