JUBA – The Sudan People’s Liberation Army in Opposition (SPLA-IO) and the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF) have reported losses in a series of clashes that broke out across Central Equatoria and Upper Nile states over the past week.
In a statement on Wednesday, SPLA-IO spokesperson Col. Lam Paul Gabriel said a combined force of the SSPDF, National Police, and National Security Service (NSS) attempted to launch an offensive on the group’s positions in Wunaliet, Juba County, early Wednesday morning.
He claimed the SPLA-IO repelled the attack, killing at least seven government soldiers, including Col. Juma Festo, a former SPLA-IO officer who had defected to the SSPDF.
Lam also reported that on Tuesday, SPLA-IO’s 5th Infantry Division carried out an assault on SSPDF positions in Mathiang, Longechuk County, Upper Nile State. He said the attack inflicted “heavy human and material losses” before his forces withdrew for what he described as “tactical reasons.”
The fighting in Longechuk County reportedly began late last week, involving not only government and opposition forces but also armed local youth. According to Lam, SPLA-IO fighters and youth groups continued to hold ground inside Mathiang, where the security situation remained tense by Thursday.
In a counterclaim, SSPDF spokesperson Maj. Gen. Lul Ruai Koang shared a video on Monday showing a wounded SPLA-IO fighter he identified as Reat Tut Turuk, reportedly injured during combat in Longechuk.
Meanwhile, Lam said SPLA-IO’s 7th Infantry Division repelled another joint assault on Sunday by SSPDF and Agwelek militia forces in Tonga, Panyikang County, Upper Nile State. He claimed the government forces were pushed back “with heavy losses.”
The SPLA-IO praised its fighters for their resilience, while government forces have yet to issue a detailed response to the opposition’s allegations. None of the claims could be independently verified.
The renewed clashes highlight persistent insecurity in South Sudan despite a 2018 peace deal that created a unity government. Sporadic fighting in flashpoint areas such as Upper Nile and Central Equatoria continues to threaten efforts to stabilize the country.
