According to the SSPDF, the decision to relieve the forces follows persistent social tensions, intermittent armed clashes, and the physical confinement of soldiers to barracks, which restricted their movement

By Emmanuel Mandella

South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF) has confirmed that the deployment of its troops to Nasir County is for “purely peaceful and administrative reasons,” and “not a disarmament operation.”

In a statement seen by the City Review, SSPDF Spokesperson Maj. Gen. Lul Ruai Koang dismissed widespread claims of what he described as “anti-peace elements” within the country and diaspora.

These groups, the army spokesperson said, alleged that the movement of SSPDF forces signaled an imminent disarmament exercise, sparking fears of armed confrontations along the Nile and Sobat rivers.

“SSPDF would like to reassure members of the public in general and Greater Nasir Community in particular, that there are no operational plans and orders to conduct any disarmament exercise in Nasir County,” Maj. Gen. Lul stated.

“On the same note, there are no operational plan and orders to deploy additional SSPDF forces at any other place apart from Nasir.”

“This redeployment is purely for peaceful and administrative reasons, including addressing misunderstandings between our forces and the host community and relieving forces that have overstayed in the area,” Lul’s statement added.

According to the SSPDF, the decision to relieve the forces follows persistent social tensions, intermittent armed clashes, and the physical confinement of soldiers to barracks, which restricted their movement

. The forces en route to Nasir are also responding to requests from local authorities and the community itself, the statement added.

The SSPDF warned armed civilians reportedly mobilizing in anticipation of conflict to stand down and desist any confrontation attempts.

“Failure to comply with this appeal will leave SSPDF with no choice but to respond with deadly force in self-defense once aggressed,” Maj. Gen. Lul Ruai cautioned.

On Tuesday, various bodies, including ceasefire monitor, CTSAMVM, United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) and civil society groups urged conflicting parties to reflect on the rationale and stop the cycle of armed violence that has had a direct impact on the civilian population.

Speaking during the mechanism’s technical committee meeting on Tuesday, Major Gen. Yitayal Gelaw Bitew, the CTASMVM chairperson called on the SSPDF and armed civilians to cease the continued armed exchanges in Nasir County of Upper Nile State.

Gelaw lamented that the tensions have been high in the area, which led to the displacement of civilians.

“In Upper Nile State, we have once again received several accounts of continuing armed exchanges between the SSPDF and armed civilians in the vicinity of Nasir Town.”

“Tensions have been high in the area, which has led to displacement of civilians. CTSAMVM calls on both parties to reflect on the rationale for continuing this cycle of armed violence and its impact on the civilian population,” Gelaw said.

Meanwhile, commenting on the incident, UNMISS stated that on 14-15 February, a series of violent exchanges took place between the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF) and armed youth in Nassir.

“These included the use of heavy weaponry which has, reportedly, resulted in deaths and injuries to civilians as well as armed personnel. A pre-planned UNMISS patrol was also impacted by the fighting, with a peacekeeper sustaining injuries during mortar shelling,” the statement said.

“I urge all involved to demonstrate restraint and immediately restore calm. I also strongly condemn any violence against our peacekeepers and reiterate that such actions constitute a violation of international law,” Nicholas Haysom, the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General and Head of UNMISS, added.