Tension is rising in Eastern Equatoria State along the border with Uganda. This resulted in heavy gunfire in Phogee area in Magwi County on Tuesday and continued this morning.

Residents of Phogee in Magwi County say Ugandan troops have entered and occupied territories more than 15 kilometers inside South Sudan.

This encroachment started on Friday last week. UPDF then sent more soldiers to the area on Saturday and warned residents to move away.

The chief of Phogee, Okot Vincent, said the tension resulted in gunfire from the UPDF.

He said more than ten people went missing after the shooting. This morning, a similar gunfire resumed. Okot Vincent told Eye Radio that hundreds of people have now been displaced.

“We have been trying to send this information to the high authorities, the people in the government,” Mr Vincent said.

Ugandan officials have confirmed the incident to the media. The online Insider reported that the UPDF opened gunfire while trying to evict South Sudanese farmers they accuse of entering their territory.

There are border disputes between the two countries, in both states of Eastern and Central Equatoria.

In Central Equatoria, the dispute is over an agricultural piece of land known as Kangapo 2. More than seven people were killed in the border violence in 2014.

Following the killings, South Sudan and Uganda agreed to form a joint-committee of 18 members from each side.

David Ngailo, member of the team from South Sudan, says the ministry of foreign affairs has delayed the demarcation of the border that could have been done in the dry season.

“We are not working now because the real work was supposed to start over the dry season which was January, February,” Mr Ngailo stressed.

The spokesman of ministry of foreign affairs, Mawien Makol, says the government is trying to resolve the issues but he did not specify the steps taken to demarcate the border.

In the latest tension in Phogee, Mr Mawien told Eye Radio that state Governor Louis Lobong visited the area today to calm the situation.

“The government is aware of it and we are working so hard to resolve the issue. You have heard the governor of Eastern Equatoria state has gone to the area to go and tried to resolve the issue,” Amb Makol said, “and we are waiting for the report here in the ministry of foreign affairs about the situation.”

However, Mr Ngailo says the joint border committee has not been funded since its formation. Despite the visit of Louis Lobong, Residents in Phogee say the UPDF continue to stay in the area.

(Additional information by Dominic Santo)