In December 2024, a significant case of cross-border illegal mining was reported in South Sudan's Greater Pibor Administrative Area (GPAA). According to Chief Administrator Gola Boyoi Gola, more than 50 unauthorised Ethiopian mining companies had established operations in the Raad area of Jebel Boma County, encroaching approximately 15km into South Sudanese territory. These companies, equipped with earth-moving machinery, were extracting gold from the resource-rich region without proper licences or environmental oversight. The illegal mining operations had severe environmental consequences, particularly through the use of mercury in gold extraction processes. Chief Administrator Gola reported that mercury contamination had polluted the Akobo River, which flows through both countries, resulting in human fatalities and killing fish and wildlife. Despite repeated appeals from local authorities, the national government of South Sudan had not mounted an effective response to the encroachment as of December 2024.