SPLA-IO Accused of Detaining Civilian Boats, Demanding $4,000 Along Sobat River ‎

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‎ Boat ferrying civilians  Nasir, Upper Nile State  ‎Authorities in Nasir County, Upper Nile State, have accused forces loyal to the Sudan People’s Liberation Army In Opposition (SPLA-IO) of detaining civilian riverboats and demanding ransom-like payments of up to $4,000 from traders and passengers along the Sobat River. ‎ ‎According to Nasir County Commissioner James Gatwech Joak, several boats traveling from Matar in Nasir County to Malakal were intercepted by SPLA-IO soldiers in Yakuach, an area in Nyirol County, Jonglei State. ‎ ‎“Our traders paid local taxes to SPLA-IO in Mandeng before setting off. But on reaching Yakuach, they were detained again and told to pay an additional four thousand U.S. dollars,” Commissioner Gatwech said. ‎ ‎He explained that the detained boat operators and traders were reportedly held for four days while armed men demanded more payments.  ‎ Some of the passengers were women, children, and patients traveling for medical treatment in Malaka...

South Sudan’s First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar Will Face Legal Action Amid Rising Political Tensions, Taban Deng Gai confirmed.


Vice President Taban Deng Gai. 

‎South Sudan’s Vice President and Chairperson of the Infrastructure Cluster, Taban Deng Gai, has announced that First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar will face court following an ongoing investigation. 

‎Speaking at an Iftar Ramadan event in Juba, Deng stated that Machar remains under house arrest and will have access to legal representation from either South Sudan or abroad. 

‎The specific charges against him are yet to be disclosed.

‎FVP Dr. Machar was reportedly detained by the country’s defense minister and chief of national security, accused of involvement in recent military clashes in Nasir, Upper Nile State. His arrest has sparked concerns from the United States and the United Nations, with fears that the situation could reignite ethnic tensions reminiscent of South Sudan’s 2013-2018 civil war.

‎The main opposition party, the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-in-Opposition (SPLM-IO), has declared that the 2018 peace deal is effectively collapsed following Machar’s arrest. 

‎Meanwhile, Kenya has dispatched former Prime Minister Raila Odinga to mediate between President Salva Kiir and Dr. Machar, in an effort to prevent further escalation of the crisis.

‎As tensions rise, the international community is closely monitoring the situation, urging restraint and a commitment to peace.

‎For more updates, follow our coverage on South Sudan’s evolving political landscape.

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