Ceasefire monitors in South Sudan have raised alarms over violence that continues to threaten South Sudan’s security, impacting both civilians and state security forces.
The Ceasefire Transitional Security Arrangement Monitoring and Verification Mechanism (CTSAMVM) issued the warning on Thursday during the 48th CTSAMVM Board meeting at the Beijing Hotel in Juba.
Maj. Gen. Yitayal Gelaw Bitew, the CTSAMVM Chairperson, confirmed that the ceasefire is holding in areas accessible to their Monitoring and Verification Teams, but expressed deep concern over the persistent violence.
“Violence against both civilians and the state security services by armed groups continues to destabilize the security situation in South Sudan,” Gen. Gelaw stated. “CTSAMVM condemns these hostile actions and calls on all armed groups to engage in dialogue to address grievances. This is essential for allowing the citizens of South Sudan to enjoy lasting peace and stability.”
The CTSAMVM Chairperson also highlighted concerns over operational limitations, noting that many planned activities have been hindered due to a lack of support from the government.
“Several patrols have been canceled or rescheduled during this reporting period due to procedural issues,” he said. “The timely granting of Flight Safety Assurances is essential for conducting credible investigations. CTSAMVM urges all entities responsible for enabling CTSAMVM operations to extend their full support toward the timely investigation of allegations.”
Gen. Gelaw also reported that the Monitoring and Verification Teams recently completed two extensive patrols in Maridi, Mundri West, and Yei, where they visited a training center and a cantonment site.
He pointed out that the findings from these patrols will be discussed by the Joint Monitoring Coordination Office and the CTSAMVM Technical Committee, with a full report to be presented at the next CTSAMVM Board meeting.
CTSAMVM is a multinational body that monitors compliance with the South Sudan peace agreement signed in 2018. CTSAMVM has Monitoring and Verification Teams (MVTs) located in the most conflict affected areas of the country.