S. Sudan military calls for immediate evacuation of civilians
“All NGOs and UNMISS personnel operating and working in Nyirol, Uror and Akobo counties are given 48 hours to leave,” SSPDF spokesperson Maj. Gen. Lul Ruai Koang stated in a video message.
Koang added that civilians in these areas should relocate immediately to government-controlled zones to ensure their safety as the army prepares for “Operation Enduring Peace” against the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-in-Opposition (SPLA-IO). “Armed civilians found loitering in and around SPLA-IO barracks, assembly areas, and rally grounds would be considered as legitimate military targets,” he warned.
He further directed that armed civilians not part of the White Army must surrender their weapons at the nearest SSPDF garrison and move with their families and livestock to areas under government control.
Earlier, the UN mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) voiced concern over reports that a senior military official had encouraged troops to target civilians in Jonglei. The mission also noted that over 180,000 people have reportedly been displaced in Jonglei due to intensifying clashes between the main factions of the 2018 peace agreement.
South Sudan, the world’s youngest nation, became independent from Sudan in 2011 following a referendum. However, conflict has continued since December 2013, when President Salva Kiir Mayardit accused former Vice President Riek Machar of attempting a coup. Despite peace agreements reached in 2018 and 2022, instability has persisted. Last February, a militia group known as the White Army, largely composed of Machar’s Nuer ethnic supporters, captured a town in Upper Nile State, prompting the detention of several generals and government officials aligned with SPLA-IO.
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