UPDF soldiers greet an SPLA soldier at a border area in Magwi County on May 21, 2018 | Credit | Ijoo Bosco/Eye Radio

Villagers in Magwi County, Eastern Equatoria, continue to express their concerns as reports indicate that the Ugandan army’s incursions into South Sudanese territory are intensifying.

The villagers report that last week, more Ugandan army stormed Patoko and Abiloro villages of Pogee in Magwi County and forced them out of their homes.

Pogee Payam administrator, Ayaa Jemila Augustine confirmed the incident to Eye Radio saying the Ugandan forces entered the villages at noon and warned everyone to move out.

According to her, the soldiers threatened to “do something bad” if the residents continued living around the area.

Ayaa revealed that around 20 soldiers in full combat crossed the border from Uganda to issue a stern warning and ask everyone to evacuate.

“Last week, the Ugandans entered Patoko at around noon; those are UPDF, they came and got some people these people of Patoko have their homes there, they built houses and they are staying in their homes,” said Ayaa.

“They [UPDF] went to those people and began telling those people that it was their land and that they didn’t want people to stay there otherwise they would come and do something bad to those people. Let those people leave the area,” she said.

“They are ever disturbing those people giving a hard time to those living at Patoko and Abiloro simultaneously.

“They gathered people together, then they told them this is our land, we don’t want you to stay here and those people said they could not go anywhere this is their area even. But they came around 20 soldiers in full uniform.”

The infringement at the South Sudan and Ugandan border has intensified since it was first reported in June.

The administrator characterised the infringement of the Ugandan army by the change in telecommunication operators’ signal that no longer reflected that of South Sudan, but of Uganda, a typical sign of change in the GPS reading.