The South Sudan ceasefire monitors have raised concerns over violations of the truce.
Speaking during the 50th meeting of the board of the Ceasefire and Transitional Security Arrangement Monitoring and Verification Mechanism (CTSAMVM) on Tuesday, Chairperson Maj Gen Yitayal Gelaw Bitew, said although the truce was largely holding, it was concerned about the recent violation in Western Equatoria.
“It is with regret that I must inform you, as I did with the CTSAMVM Technical Committee, that for the first time in my tenure as chairman, the integrity of the ceasefire is not upheld across all of South Sudan. CTSAMVM is particularly concerned about ongoing armed clashes between two signatory parties between Western Equatoria and Western Bahr El Ghazal,” he said.
Yitayal said CTSAMVM’s Verification Teams were alerted to reports of the clashes over the weekend of January 11 and 12 and consistent accounts from both parties and the civil society representatives indicated that the incidents were not isolated misunderstandings but rather a considered attack upon ceasefire partners.
“These exchanges of fire have tragically resulted in loss of life, injuries, and displacement among civilians and uniformed personnel, CTSAMVM has already addressed this issue with the Joint Monitoring and Coordination Office and the CTSAMVM Technical Committee, consequently, our Monitoring and Verification Teams from Wau and Yambio have been assigned to investigate,” he said.
“CTSAMVM condemns these armed exchanges and urges both parties to exercise restraint and sound judgment. We emphasize that this is a critical moment for exemplary leadership one that embraces dialogue and fosters mediation to alleviate tensions and resolve grievances,” he added.
Yitayal said they would also discuss a violation report in Nasir County of Upper Nile State, involving the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF) and armed civilians.
“This area has long been a hotspot for conflict and has been the focal point of various state and county mediation efforts, CTSAMVM supports these initiatives and, alongside several distinguished members of our Technical Committee and Board, conducted a joint dynamic air patrol to Nasir Town on January 16, 2025,” he said.
“The participants engaged with both security and civilian stakeholders to gain insights into the drivers of conflict, with a particular interest in how the CTSAMVM Technical Committee and Board can support ongoing and future peacebuilding efforts in the county”.