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...
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SPLM-IO Members Flee Juba Amid Security Crackdown, Reaffirm Commitment to Peace Deal

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SPLM-IO Director of Communication pal Mai Deng. 


A growing political rift within South Sudan's main opposition party, the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-In Opposition (SPLM-IO), has taken a dramatic turn after some of its members fled the capital, Juba, citing fears for their lives.

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‎In a statement released Monday, SPLM-IO’s Director of Communication, Pal Mai Deng, said the members’ departure should not be misconstrued as an abandonment of the peace process. 


He described such claims as “cheap propaganda” from the SPLM-In Government (SPLM-IG) and its political allies.

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‎“This is a deliberate attempt to mislead the public and sabotage the peace process,” Deng said. “Our members left Juba to protect their lives from increasing threats, not to withdraw from the Revitalized Transitional Government of National Unity.”

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‎The SPLM-IO reaffirmed its commitment to the full implementation of the 2018 Revitalized Peace Agreement and called for the release of its leader, First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar, along with other detained political and military figures. The opposition group also demanded the immediate withdrawal of all foreign troops currently operating in the country.

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‎This development comes amid internal tensions within the SPLM-IO, following the controversial appointment of Peacebuilding Minister Stephen Par Kuol as interim leader by a breakaway faction. Deputy Chairman Oyet Nathaniel has rejected the move, calling on peace agreement guarantors and international observers to act swiftly to preserve the unity of the party and the integrity of the peace accord.

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‎Local and international observers fear the situation could further destabilize the fragile peace, especially with increasing incidents of violence across various states and warnings from the United Nations about the risk of renewed conflict.

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‎As the country prepares for long-awaited elections, the political temperature is rising, with mounting pressure on all parties to stay committed to the peace deal and prevent a relapse into civil war.

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