South Sudan's Kiir holds urgent talks over shootout at ex-spy chief's home

Gunfire erupted on Thursday evening in the capital Juba, sparking concerns about the stability of the world's youngest country that is already plagued by power struggles, ethnic infighting and a deep economic malaise.

The shooting around the home of Koor, who was fired by Kiir in early October and placed under house arrest, caused panic among local residents before it was contained after about an hour.

Media reports said the incident took place during an attempt to arrest the ex-head of the National Security Services, but the army blamed a "misunderstanding" between security forces deployed to protect him.

Kiir convened an urgent meeting of security chiefs that also included Koor and his successor, according to a source in the presidency press unit.

The Sudans Post newspaper quoted a security official as saying the meeting had "resolved all outstanding tensions" and that the spy chief and his family "have been assured of their safety".

However details of the meeting could not be confirmed, and there was no official government statement.

In an alert to its staff on the ground on Thursday, the United Nations in South Sudan had said the shooting was linked to the arrest of the former spymaster and advised people to take cover.

But South Sudan People's Defence Forces (SSPDF) spokesman Lul Ruai Koang told AFP before the security meeting that "he remains at his house", also denying claims circulating on social media that Koor had fled to the UN compound in Juba.

There was a heavy deployment of military forces around his home in the Thongpiny district, an AFP correspondent said, but traffic has resumed and people were going about their daily business.

- 'Remain vigilant' -

Police spokesman John Kassara said the situation was now calm but that Thongpiny remained sealed off and residents "should remain vigilant".

Koor became head of the feared National Security Services (NSS) after South Sudan's independence in 2011 but was sacked in October leading to widespread speculation he had been planning to overthrow Kiir.

After his dismissal from the NSS, Koor was appointed governor of Warrap State, Kiir's home state, but this was abruptly revoked by the president before he took the oath of office.

Koang had said that there was a "misunderstanding" between two different security services providing protection at Koor's home.

"We do not know what had happened and that misunderstanding degenerated into gunfire," Koang said, adding that two servicemen were shot and wounded before the situation was contained.

Koor's sacking came just two weeks after Kiir again postponed by two years, to December 2026, the first elections in the nation's history.

The delay has exasperated the international community, which has been pressing the country's leaders to complete a transitional process, including unifying rival armed forces and drawing up a constitution.

The NSS was at the centre of controversy in July when parliament approved amendments to legislation allowing the agency to continue to arrest -- without a warrant -- anyone accused of offences against the state, raising alarm among rights groups and South Sudan's international partners.

The country has struggled to recover from a brutal civil war between forces loyal to Kiir and his now deputy Riek Machar from 2013 to 2018 that killed about 400,000 people and drove millions from their homes.

It remains one of the poorest and most corrupt countries on the planet and continues to be plagued by chronic instability and climate disasters.