Fresh Tensions in Yei County
Gunfire rattled Yei River County shortly after dawn on Saturday, resuming a conflict many hoped was buried (The Dawn).
By nightfall, officials confirmed at least 17 uniformed personnel were killed during battles between rival signatories to South Sudan’s peace deal.
Inside the 17-Fatality Confrontation
Army spokespersons give conflicting versions, yet witnesses agree the first shots came from a joint SPLA-IO and NAS-TC column targeting SSPDF posts in Lasu and Libogo.
Col. Lam Paul Gabriel later said his forces overran both camps, capturing a mortar, rifles and a military pickup.
SSPDF officers declined to confirm losses, but local medics reported treating half a dozen wounded government troops.
Ceasefire in Question
The skirmish starkly defies the 2017 Cessation of Hostilities Agreement, cornerstone of the 2018 revitalised accord that ended five brutal years of civil war.
Repeated violations have eroded public faith; market vendors in Yei told local radio they now close stalls at noon for safety.
Voices Urging Calm
“There is no military solution to political disagreements,” argued Ter Manyang Gatwech of the Centre for Peace and Advocacy, appealing for an immediate ceasefire.
Church leaders echoed the plea, warning that further escalation would reverse fragile humanitarian gains along the Ugandan border.
Pathways to Sustainable Calm
Observers urge the Transitional Government of National Unity to revive stalled security arrangements, including unified command and cantonment funding.
Regional bloc IGAD could deploy mediators to Yei, analysts suggest, while the African Union monitors compliance through its CTSAMVM mission.
Locals, weary of gunfire, insist that talk—not tanks—will secure planting season and keep classrooms open.