By Sabri Dibaco
Three South Sudanese youth have reportedly died while in detention in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), while six others remain in custody under what sources describe as deplorable conditions after spending more than one year behind bars.
According to information obtained by this publication, the group of nine South Sudanese youths has been detained in the DRC since 2025 after they were arrested near the South Sudan–DR Congo border while travelling to visit relatives at Abba Refugee Camp.
The youths were allegedly accused by Congolese authorities of being rebels following their interception near the border.
Sources familiar with the matter said the arrests occurred in two phases. In the first incident, four young men were arrested, but one later died while in detention.
In a separate incident, five additional youths from Yambio were arrested and transferred to detention facilities in the DRC. Two of them also reportedly died while in custody.
The deaths bring the total number of South Sudanese youths who have allegedly died in detention to three, leaving six others still imprisoned.
Relatives and community members have expressed concern over the welfare of the remaining detainees, saying they are being held in poor conditions and urgently require humanitarian assistance and legal support.
Families of the detainees are calling on the governments of South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo to work together to establish the circumstances surrounding the arrests and secure the release or fair legal treatment of the surviving detainees.
They also appealed to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and other relevant authorities to intervene and facilitate consular access to the detained South Sudanese nationals.
The incident has raised concerns among communities in Western Equatoria State, where several of the detained youths are believed to originate.
Residents say cross-border movement between South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo is common due to family ties, trade, and the presence of refugee settlements near the border.
At the time of publication, efforts by No. 1 Citizen Newspaper to obtain comment from the South Sudan National Police Service and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation were unsuccessful.