SPLA-IO regains control of Akobo, Sudans Post geolocation shows

JUBA — South Sudan’s main armed opposition, the Sudan People’s Liberation Army-in-Opposition (SPLA-IO), has regained control of Akobo town in Jonglei State, according to geolocation analysis conducted by Sudans Post, supported by footage circulated on Monday.

Multiple videos reviewed and geolocated by Sudans Post show SPLA-IO fighters inside key locations in Akobo following a coordinated assault launched at dawn. In one video, a group of armed men are seen with a captured technical just south of Akobo airstrip, geolocated to approximately 7°47’2.19″N, 33°0’13.31″E.

Another clip shows a senior SPLA-IO figure, identified as the group’s former commissioner of Akobo, standing in front of the Akobo County headquarters, geolocated to approximately 7°47’3.65″N, 33°0’19.01″E. The footage indicates the presence of opposition forces within central administrative areas of the town.

The extent of casualties and the full sequence of events could not be independently verified.

Local sources speaking to Sudans Post said SPLA-IO forces advanced on Akobo from both northern and southern directions early Monday, suggesting a coordinated, multi-axis operation that overwhelmed forces stationed in the town.

In a statement, SPLM-IO spokesman Pal Mai Deng confirmed the development, saying: “Akobo has fallen to SPLA-IO Sector Three Command under Gen. John Luk. The details will be made public by Col. Lam Paul Gabriel in a few hours to come.”

For his part, SPLA-IO spokesman Col. Lam Paul Gabriel said the town was retaken following what he described as a “swift operation” launched at around 0530 hours, adding that the fighting lasted less than an hour before opposition forces secured control of the county headquarters.

He said SPLA-IO forces captured several military vehicles and weapons during the operation, including pick-up trucks mounted with heavy machine guns, transport trucks, and small and medium arms. He also claimed that government forces suffered significant losses, though this could not be independently verified.

Gabriel said the group regretted the loss of life resulting from what he described as “provoked clashes” and commended SPLA-IO forces for what he said was the recapture of the town.

Akobo, located near the border with Ethiopia, has long been a contested area due to its strategic position and history as a stronghold of opposition forces during South Sudan’s civil war. Control of the town has shifted multiple times since fighting erupted in 2013 between forces loyal to President Salva Kiir and those aligned with First Vice President Riek Machar.

The town had been under the control of the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF) since mid-March, when government troops moved in following rising tensions and insecurity in the area, marking a recent shift in control prior to Monday’s developments.

The recapture comes amid renewed tensions in parts of Upper Nile and Jonglei regions, where sporadic clashes between rival factions and allied militias have continued despite the 2018 Revitalized Peace Agreement. Analysts say control of Akobo could provide the SPLA-IO with a logistical foothold along cross-border routes and strengthen its military posture in the greater Upper Nile region.

Further details on the operation, including troop movements and potential civilian impact, are expected to be released by SPLA-IO military officials later on Monday.