Ex-oil minister urges punitive measures against SPLA-IO after army setbacks

JUBA — South Sudan’s former oil minister has called on the government to take punitive military measures against the Sudan People’s Liberation Army–In Opposition (SPLA-IO) following recent battlefield setbacks suffered by government forces, including the loss of Yuai in Jonglei state.

In an opinion article published on Thursday, Ezekiel Lol Gatkuoth said the fighting in Jonglei towns including Waat and Yuai showed that dialogue alone was no longer sufficient, arguing that armed groups aligned to the SPLA-IO were holding communities and the peace process “hostage.”

“In my view, while peace should always be pursued through dialogue, there are moments when peace must be firmly enforced, especially where armed elements are holding communities hostage and undermining stability,” he said.

“When lawlessness threatens innocent lives, decisive action becomes necessary. I believe the time to act is now,” he added.

His remarks came as the SPLA-IO announced it had captured Yuai, the administrative capital of Uror County in Jonglei, and Nadapal near the South Sudan–Kenya border in Eastern Equatoria, dealing a significant blow to the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF).

SPLA-IO spokesperson Col. Lam Paul Gabriel said opposition fighters overran SSPDF bases in both locations during dawn operations, declaring that “Yuai and Nadapal have fallen.”

The SSPDF did not immediately respond to the claims, but residents in Yuai confirmed the change in control, saying opposition forces moved into the town after clashes early Friday.

The loss of Yuai would effectively erase the government’s military presence across the predominantly Lou Nuer counties of Nyirol, Uror and Akobo, leaving only small SSPDF pockets in Pading and Pulturuk areas, according to local sources.

Gatkuoth, who previously served as petroleum minister and was the SPLM-IO’s secretary for foreign affairs until his defection to President Salva Kiir’s SPLM-IG in July 2016, urged the army to carry out what he described as a “carefully planned and responsible security mission” to retake areas under SPLA-IO control.

He singled out strategic border towns such as Akobo, saying they must be “effectively managed and secured by the national government,” citing reports of arms and ammunition smuggling into South Sudan.

“Strengthening government control over these border points is not about punishment,” Gatkuoth wrote. “It is about restoring order, protecting civilians, and safeguarding national sovereignty.”

The former minister also accused individuals in the South Sudanese diaspora of fueling violence from abroad while civilians on the ground bore the cost. “It is the most vulnerable — women, children, the elderly — who suffer the most,” he said.

He rejected any ethnic framing of the conflict, stressing that the fighting was not tribal.

“This conflict is between the Republic of South Sudan and the SPLA-IO plus anti-peace elements,” Gatkuoth wrote. “It has nothing to do with tribes or clans.”

The escalation comes just days after military authorities in Juba ordered civilians to evacuate parts of Jonglei state, a move often seen by local observers as a precursor to large-scale offensive operations.

South Sudan enters the 2026 dry season amid renewed insecurity, a period historically associated with increased military activity.

Despite a 2018 peace agreement intended to end years of civil war, delays in implementing key security arrangements — including the unification of rival forces — have left the country vulnerable to recurring clashes, raising concerns over civilian protection and the stability of the transitional government.