SSPDF moves ‘captured’ SPLA-IO combat tank to Juba

JUBA – A tank the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF) claim to have captured from opposition forces in northern Jonglei has arrived at the Bilpam military Headquarters in Juba, the army spokesperson says.

In a brief Facebook post accompanied by photographs, Maj. Gen. Lul Ruai Koang confirmed the arrival of what he described as the “iconic main battle tank.”

“Pictorials section. Seeing is believing. A picture speaks a 1000 word. The iconic main battle tank ‘Boorchar Tank’,” Maj. Gen. Lul Ruai wrote.

The military did not provide further details about when or where the tank was originally seized, but the development follows an earlier announcement by Johnson Olony Thabo, the SSPDF Deputy Chief of Defence Forces for Mobilisation and Disarmament.

Last week, Olony declared in a video statement that government forces had towed the armoured vehicle to Bor Town after what he described as successful operations in northern Jonglei.

“Today, citizens are very happy, we have arrived in Bor Town with [a] tank known as Borchar of Lou Nuer,” Olony said at the time. He added that the vehicle had been taken to Malual Chaat, the headquarters of Division Eight, before being prepared for transfer to the capital.

“We are taking it to Juba to show [it] to citizens and be received by the army leadership. This is proof that we have reached Waat and all these places. We come, and we are going back,” Olony stated, portraying the capture as evidence of SSPDF advances into contested areas.

The tank’s arrival in Juba comes amid renewed fighting between SSPDF and the Sudan People’s Liberation Army-in Opposition (SPLA-IO) in parts of northern Jonglei State, particularly around Waat and surrounding territories. The clashes have heightened tensions in a region historically affected by cycles of armed confrontation and inter-communal violence.

While SSPDF officials have presented the armoured vehicle as a significant battlefield gain, SPLA-IO representatives have not publicly responded to the claim that one of their tanks was captured. Independent verification of the tank’s operational status and ownership has not been immediately available.

Military observers note that the public display of captured equipment can serve both symbolic and strategic purposes, reinforcing narratives of territorial control and boosting morale among supporters.

For now, the “Boorchar Tank” sits at SSPDF headquarters in Juba, showcased as what the army describes as tangible proof of its recent operations in northern Jonglei.