20/08/2026
PRELIMINARY INCIDENT REPORT
Open-Fire Incident Against Civilians at Bentiu IDP Camp
Date of Incident: 19 August 2026
Location: Bentiu Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) Camp, Unity State, South Sudan
Reported Casualties: 12 civilians reportedly killed and 23 confirmed injured
1. Executive Summary
On 19 August 2026, an alleged incident of open fire against civilians occurred within or around the Bentiu Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) Camp. Preliminary information indicates that 12 civilians were killed and 23 others sustained confirmed injuries as a result of the incident.
According to the information available for this preliminary report, the incident occurred following the deployment of a large number of South Sudan People's Defence Forces (SSPDF) personnel to apprehend a spiritual leader, Mr. Taban Puol, commonly known as “Gokdeng,” at his shrine.
It is further alleged that the security operation escalated into the use of live am******on against civilians who had gathered around the spiritual leader. The reported casualties included five children, of whom three were reportedly pupils preparing for Primary Eight examinations, while the remaining victims were adults reportedly between 26 and 30 years of age.
These allegations, if established through an independent and impartial investigation, would raise serious concerns regarding the protection of civilians, the right to life, freedom of religion or belief, the principles of distinction and proportionality in the use of force, and the obligations of state security forces under applicable national and international human-rights and humanitarian-law standards.
2. Background
Mr. Taban Puol, commonly known as “Gokdeng,” is described as a spiritual leader who conducts religious or spiritual activities at his shrine. The information received indicates that his religious activities were not, in themselves, alleged to constitute a threat to civilians.
The reported security operation was allegedly motivated, at least in part, by accusations that Mr. Taban Puol supported the SPLM-IO and that a significant number of people gathered around him were associated with or sympathetic to that movement.
Political affiliation or alleged political association, however, does not by itself remove the fundamental rights of civilians to life, dignity, freedom of religion or belief, and protection from unlawful or disproportionate use of force.
3. Description of the Incident
On 19 August 2026, a large contingent of SSPDF personnel was reportedly deployed to the shrine of Mr. Taban Puol in an attempt to apprehend him.
During the operation, the situation allegedly escalated, resulting in the discharge of live am******on in an area where civilians were present. Preliminary casualty information indicates that 12 civilians lost their lives and 23 others were confirmed injured.
The reported victims included children and adults. The presence and reported killing or injury of children during the incident is particularly concerning and warrants immediate and independent investigation.
The available information further indicates that the victims were civilians rather than persons directly participating in hostilities. This distinction is legally significant because civilians are entitled to protection from deliberate or indiscriminate attacks and from unnecessary or disproportionate use of force.
4. Civilian Casualties
The preliminary casualty figures reported are as follows:
- 12 civilians reportedly killed;
- 23 civilians confirmed injured;
- 5 of the reported deceased or affected victims were children;
- 3 of the children were reportedly pupils preparing for Primary Eight examinations;
- The remaining reported adult victims were approximately 26–30 years of age.
The identities of all victims, the precise circumstances of each death and injury, and the medical causes of death should be independently verified and documented.
5. Human Rights and Legal Concerns
The reported incident raises serious human-rights and legal concerns.
First, the right to life is a fundamental human right. Any use of lethal force by state security personnel must satisfy the applicable requirements of legality, necessity and proportionality. The mere presence of civilians around a person suspected of political affiliation does not, by itself, justify indiscriminate or excessive use of lethal force.
Second, the reported circumstances raise concerns regarding freedom of religion or belief. Individuals have the right to hold, practice and express religious or spiritual beliefs, provided that such practices do not unlawfully harm others. The peaceful exercise of a non-harmful religious or spiritual belief should not, in itself, constitute grounds for violent repression.
Third, if the allegations that civilians were deliberately or indiscriminately targeted are substantiated, the incident could constitute a serious violation of applicable human-rights obligations and, depending on the factual and legal circumstances, potentially engage provisions of international humanitarian law.
6. Protection of Children
The reported involvement of five children is of particular concern. Children are entitled to heightened protection during security operations and armed conflict.
The reported death or injury of children, including pupils preparing for Primary Eight examinations, requires urgent verification and appropriate documentation. Any investigation should establish their identities, ages, circumstances of death or injury, and whether they were intentionally targeted or caught in an indiscriminate or disproportionate use of force.
7. Customary and Community Concerns
Beyond the human-rights implications, the incident has reportedly caused significant concern within the affected community. The reported conduct of the operation is alleged to have violated established customary expectations concerning the protection of spiritual leaders, sacred spaces, civilians and peaceful religious practices.
The alleged treatment of Mr. Taban Puol (Gokdeng) should therefore be examined not only from the perspective of national and international law but also in light of applicable customary norms governing religious or spiritual institutions and community relations.
Any allegation that his religious or spiritual authority was used as a basis for humiliation, persecution or collective punishment should be independently investigated.
8. Need for an Independent Investigation
Given the gravity of the allegations, an independent, impartial and transparent investigation is urgently required.
The investigation should establish:
1. The exact sequence of events leading to the incident.
2. The identity and command structure of the security personnel involved.
3. The legal basis and purpose of the operation to apprehend Mr. Taban Puol.
4. Whether the security forces issued warnings or other lawful instructions before using force.
5. Who authorized the use of live am******on.
6. Whether the force used was necessary, reasonable and proportionate to the threat faced.
7. Whether civilians were deliberately targeted or whether the casualties resulted from indiscriminate or reckless use of force.
8. The identities and circumstances of all persons killed and injured.
9. Whether children were among those directly targeted or affected.
10. Whether Mr. Taban Puol was subjected to unlawful treatment, humiliation or other violations of his rights.
11. Whether any security personnel or other persons should be held individually accountable for unlawful conduct.
9. Recommendations
In light of the reported circumstances, the following measures are recommended:
- An immediate, independent and impartial investigation into the incident.
- Preservation of the crime scene and all available physical and documentary evidence.
- Proper documentation and identification of all deceased and injured persons.
- Provision of appropriate medical care and psychosocial support to survivors and affected families.
- Protection of witnesses and victims from intimidation or retaliation.
- Accountability for any security personnel found to have used unlawful or excessive force.
- Respect for freedom of religion or belief and the protection of peaceful spiritual and religious practices.
- Engagement with community leaders to prevent further escalation and retaliation.
- Public disclosure of credible findings from the investigation, consistent with the protection of victims and witnesses.
10. Conclusion
The reported open-fire incident at Bentiu IDP Camp on 19 August 2026, resulting in 12 reported civilian deaths and 23 confirmed injuries, represents a matter of grave concern requiring immediate independent scrutiny.
The allegations that the incident arose from a security operation to apprehend a spiritual leader because of alleged support for the SPLM-IO, and that civilians gathered around him were subsequently exposed to lethal force, raise serious questions concerning the legality, necessity and proportionality of the operation.
The reported killing and injury of civilians, particularly children, must not be treated as an ordinary security incident. If substantiated, the conduct may constitute serious violations of fundamental human rights and applicable legal protections afforded to civilians.
Accordingly, the facts should be established through a credible, independent and impartial investigation, and any person found responsible for unlawful killings, excessive use of force, persecution, or other violations should be held accountable in accordance with applicable law.
This report is preliminary and is based on the information presently available. The casualty figures, identities, circumstances and legal characterization of the incident should be independently verified before being treated as established facts.
