File photo: Some of the firearms collected of civilians in Rumbek, Lakes State. | Courtesy

A joint disarmament force has collected at least 1,700 firearms from the hands of the armed civilian in Juba County of Central Equatoria state, security chiefs have confirmed.

SSPDF Chief of Defense Force, General Santino Deng Wol says the weapons were collected in the areas surrounding the capital after the army and the National Police deployed 900 securities to carry out the exercise.

The decision was taken after a deadly confrontation between the army and suspected cattle herders on the outskirts of Juba on June 28, 2023.

According to police officials, the fighting between a section of the Mundari tribesmen and security forces was over attempted cattle raiding.

Security officials say the disarmament campaign was also a move to curtail long-standing inter-communal and cattle-related conflict, especially among the communities in Central Equatoria.

Speaking to the disarmament forces in the Kworjik area north of Juba, on Sunday, Gen. Santino Deng urged security forces to cooperate with each other for the benefit of citizens.

South Sudan is reportedly flooded with illegal guns in the hands of civilians after decades of civil wars before and after its independence from Sudan.

Experts indicate that the flow of weapons from organized forces has proved problematic despite disarmament campaigns as collected weapons often trickle back into the communities.