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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‎SSPDF Recaptures Nasir Without Resistance, Army Chief Visits Troops

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Gen. Paul Nang Majok, Army Chief. 


‎South Sudan’s national army, the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF), has successfully retaken control of the strategic town of Nasir without encountering resistance, marking a significant shift in the ongoing security crisis in Upper Nile State.

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‎General Paul Nang Majok, the Chief of Defense Forces, made a high profile visit to the town shortly after its recapture. His visit aimed to boost troop morale and signal the government’s firm commitment to stabilizing areas previously overrun by armed youth militias.

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‎Nasir, located near the Ethiopian border, had been under the control of the White Army a loosely organized group of armed Nuer youth since early March. The occupation followed intense clashes that resulted in the killing of Gen. David Majur Dak, the local SSPDF commander.

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‎According to military sources, the White Army withdrew from Nasir before the army’s arrival, allowing the SSPDF to retake the town without combat. 

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‎However, reports indicate that prior to reaching Nasir, government forces faced ambush attempts and responded with airstrikes, particularly in Thuluc village, where 17 people were reportedly killed.

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‎The recapture of Nasir comes amid increased political tension in Juba. First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar remains under house arrest after accusations that he supported the White Army's advance claims his SPLM-IO party has strongly denied.

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‎Nasir holds symbolic importance in South Sudan’s history, being the birthplace of the 1991 Nasir Declaration that split the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement. 

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‎Its recapture is seen as a strategic victory for the Kiir administration, but fears remain that violence could flare up again if peace efforts do not gain momentum.

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‎Local residents are calling for urgent humanitarian aid and protection as the town returns to government hands. 

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‎Community leaders warn that unless the root causes of youth militarization and political division are addressed, the cycle of conflict will continue.

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