The South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF) has ordered civilians to evacuate areas under opposition control in Jonglei State, eastern South Sudan, amid escalating clashes with the Sudan People’s Liberation Army in Opposition (SPLA-IO).
In a statement issued on Tuesday, SSPDF spokesperson Major General Lul Ruai Koang said civilians should immediately move away from locations close to military barracks, assembly points and rally sites to avoid being used as “human shields” during ongoing operations.
“The evacuation orders serve to avoid and minimise collateral damage during phases of military operations,” the statement read.
The directive comes just a day after an airstrike hit a market in Nyirol County, killing at least 26 civilians, according to local media reports. A local rights group told AFP that at least 30 other people were injured in the attack.
The evacuation notice affects three counties in Jonglei State — Nyirol, Uror and Akobo — which have seen a sharp rise in hostilities in recent weeks.
Fighting between government forces and the SPLA-IO has intensified since 24 December, after opposition fighters overran an SSPDF military position in Waat, a key town in Jonglei. Since then, both sides have accused each other of targeting civilian areas as clashes spread.
The renewed violence is unfolding against the backdrop of a fragile and increasingly strained power-sharing arrangement between President Salva Kiir and opposition leader Riek Machar. Observers warn the latest escalation could push the country back toward full-scale civil war.
South Sudan gained independence from Sudan in 2011 but soon descended into a brutal five-year conflict that claimed hundreds of thousands of lives and displaced millions. Although a 2018 peace agreement formally ended the fighting, implementation has stalled, with repeated delays in elections and the unification of rival armed forces.
As tensions rise once again, humanitarian groups warn that civilians in Jonglei and other conflict-affected regions remain at grave risk, with displacement and civilian casualties continuing to mount.
About The Author
