At least 20 suspected gang members who escaped from a prison in the Malualchaat area on the southern outskirts of the Jonglei State capital, Bor town have been rearrested.

Speaking to Radio Tamazuj, Brigadier Ayuen Ajak Mach, the head of the joint operation forces tasked with tackling the rising gang violence in Bor, said a manhunt launched by security forces smoked out the suspected criminals, but 15 are still at large. 

“Those gang members have been under our custody over the past three weeks as the crackdown continues. But what happened was that on Tuesday at 9 A.M, they managed to open the prison door using a master key and then escaped," he said. 

According to Brigadier Ayuen, the prison break was premeditated, and that they had managed to apprehend 20 of those who escaped since Wednesday. 

“A police officer purportedly taking food to a detained relative helped in the escape by hiding the key which those 35 criminals used to open the door for the food. But our forces managed to re-arrest 20. While the officer is currently being investigated,” he said. 

A resident of Bor town Ajak Chol denounced the escape, expressing anxiety that Bor could see yet another rise in gang violence if the government does not intervene by beefing up security in the town. 

 Another resident who identified himself only as Deng called for the continuation of the ongoing crackdown. 

“The government must continue looking after them but they should be arraigned before a court so that those who are guilty face the law,” he said. 

Early this month, authorities launched a crackdown to curb rising gang violence in parts of Bor town.