Map of Upper Nile State. (Courtesy).

Security forces in Upper Nile State have arrested at least 100 youth suspected to be members of criminal gang groups in the capital Malakal on Sunday.

Upper Nile Deputy Governor Deng Jou said the arrests were made after the state security committee assigned the army responsibility to tame the unruly youths.

The deputy governor said the young men have been disturbing peace in the state capital, with the police struggling to curtail their activities.

“The gangs that are out of control in the city are beyond the capacity of the police and the judicial apparatus in the state because some of the members of these gangs are sometimes armed,” he said.

“We, in the state security committee, agreed to give this responsibility to the army to deal with the cases of youth gangs. To confirm our words, the army forces arrested 100 members of the gangs. Currently, the police authorities are investigating them.”

According to him, the suspected gang members will be taken to court and the security forces will continue to conduct search operations until security is restored.

“Those who are proven to belong to gangs will be subject to legal action. Those who are proven not to belong to youth gangs have been released. This campaign to arrest the out-of-control gangs will continue until security is restored in the city and these gangs are eliminated.”

Upper Nile State capital Malakal and other towns have experienced gang-related crimes and inter-communal violence, a situation worsened by influx of refugees from neighboring Sudan.