SSPDF reunites two abducted children with parents in Juba

The South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF) says it has reunited two more abducted children with their parents following an operation targeting an alleged child trafficking network operating between Juba and the Greater Pibor Administrative Area. The children, aged two and five, were handed over to their families during a ceremony held at the SSPDF General Headquarters in Bilpam, Juba, on Thursday, October 29. The reunification comes nearly two weeks after the military announced the arrest of eight suspected traffickers in Juba’s Mangateen neighbourhood following an intelligence operation. During a press briefing on October 17, Army Spokesperson Major General Lul Ruai Koang said 23 children had been reported missing from the Suk Darfur residential area.

He also announced that one child had been recovered and reunited with his family, while eight others had been traced to suspected holders. In a statement posted on his Facebook page on Thursday, Major General Lul identified the latest recovered children as Abi Gatwich Tuach, about two years old, and Simon Gattiek Tut Kai, five. He said Abi was abducted on December 5, 2025, while Simon went missing on June 13, 2026, from the Suk Darfur and Suk Arnab residential areas, respectively. According to the Army Spokesperson, the children were allegedly trafficked by individuals identified as Juma Logocho, Ayella Dominic Onono and Angok Ayok before being transferred to separate individuals in Gumuruk town, Greater Pibor. Major General Lul said the arrest and detention of suspects helped investigators uncover the alleged network and trace the children. “With the full support and cooperation from the Chief Administrator of GPAA and the command of Agrab Independent Brigade, the two children were successfully traced, recovered,…