In South Sudan’s Nasir, 10 soldiers were killed and 21 injured in an ambush by armed youths. The army blamed the SPLM-IO, while the opposition denied involvement. Tensions increase amid ongoing political instability following a government reshuffle and delays in peace agreement implementations.
In a tragic incident in South Sudan, at least 10 soldiers lost their lives and 21 others sustained injuries when armed youths launched an ambush in the town of Nasir, located in the Upper Nile state. The attack took place early on Sunday, with the army spokesperson Lul Ruai Kong attributing blame to the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-in-Opposition (SPLM-IO), led by Vice President Riek Machar.
Spokesman Kong accused the SPLM-IO of inciting local youth to attack government forces, alleging that this action was part of a strategy to deepen discord among local communities. He stated, “What these armed youths did in Nasir was due to incitement by opposition forces in the area to deepen divisions among the local population.” The government claims to possess evidence regarding this incident and intends to present it to the ceasefire monitoring committee.
Since the peace agreement reached in 2018, which established a ceasefire, tensions have persisted within South Sudan. In response to the allegations, Lam Paul Gabriel, a spokesperson for the SPLM-IO, denied any involvement of their forces in the ambush. He remarked, “We have not carried out any attack, nor have we incited local youths. The army has issues with the local population.”
Currently, there is a division in control over Nasir, with government forces occupying part of the area, while opposition rebels maintain hold over the remainder. Recent weeks have also witnessed clashes between the army and opposition groups in various regions of South Sudan, particularly in the southwest, highlighting the ongoing volatility in the country’s political landscape.
This surge in violence coincides with political instability stemming from a recent reshuffle within President Salva Kiir’s government and delays in executing the 2018 peace arrangement. The situation remains dire as South Sudan grapples with the implications of regime changes and the precarious state of its longstanding peace process.
The ambush in Nasir, resulting in the deaths and injuries of soldiers, underscores the fragile state of peace in South Sudan. The accusations between government forces and the opposition reveal deepening tensions amidst ongoing political turmoil. A fragile ceasefire remains in effect, but recent actions signal challenges in maintaining stability and fostering dialogue among conflicting parties.
Original Source: efe.com
