Jonglei evacuation order and competing narratives
South Sudan’s main armed opposition group, the SPLA-IO, says government forces ordered civilians and humanitarian agencies to vacate parts of Jonglei State, warning the move could expose communities to abuses. Government-linked messaging, as cited in the same reporting, frames the order as a precaution for safety.
Gen. Johnson Olony remarks raise alarm in Duk County
Over the weekend in Duk County, Gen. Johnson Olony, described as assistant chief of defence forces for mobilisation and disarmament and commander of the Agwelek militia, addressed troops with language the SPLA-IO depicts as extreme. The opposition says he urged forces to “spare no one” and destroy homes.
SPLA-IO claims of international humanitarian law concerns
Puok Both Baluang, identified as SPLM-IO Director of Information and Public Relations and Acting Press Secretary, characterised the evacuation directive as following inflammatory military rhetoric. He alleged an ethnically driven campaign and argued that public calls to attack civilians would constitute serious breaches of international humanitarian law.
Opposition statement on motive and civilian protection
“The call made by the SSPDF for civilians and NGOs to leave represents a desperate attempt to salvage the image of the regime after blatant incitement to violence against civilians,” Both said. He added that the orders suggested a coordinated strategy risking civilians being targeted on ethnic identity.
SSPDF safety justification ahead of planned operations
In the account cited, the SSPDF ordered civilians, humanitarian organisations, and UN personnel to leave opposition-controlled areas in Jonglei ahead of military operations. The stated rationale was civilian safety, a framing that some civil society groups and humanitarian officials dispute based on expected consequences.
Civil society warns of a protection vacuum in Jonglei
Peter Ajak, a South Sudanese civil society activist from Bor County in Jonglei, said evacuations could remove a stabilising presence in a volatile setting. “The presence of aid agencies and UN personnel often acts as a deterrent to violence and human rights abuses,” Ajak said.
Risks cited: violence, services collapse, vulnerable groups
Ajak warned that departures could increase risks of killing, sexual violence, forced recruitment, looting, and arbitrary arrests. He also said civilians could lose life-saving support such as food, healthcare, clean water, and shelter, with women, children, older people, and persons with disabilities most exposed.
Akobo County: aid disruption reported despite no fighting
Nhial Nyuot, identified as the Relief Rehabilitation Coordinator in Akobo County, said operations were already being disrupted even without active fighting there. He said agencies were evacuating staff because the order came from Juba, not because conditions on the ground had deteriorated in Akobo.
MSF and UN departures cited amid new displacement arrivals
Nyuot said Médecins Sans Frontières and UN personnel had begun leaving as displaced people arrived from neighbouring counties. “More than 1,600 displaced people have already come to Akobo from Uror and Lankien,” he said, warning that reduced assistance could push people to flee toward Ethiopia.
Hospitals and basic health services tied to humanitarian support
Nyuot said health facilities in Akobo depend heavily on humanitarian backing. “It is not the government that provides medicines or pays health workers. If humanitarians leave, hospitals will close,” he said, adding that residents felt afraid while still describing Akobo as home without current fighting.
SPLA-IO assurance on humanitarian operations in its areas
Both Baluang said the SPLM/A-IO had reassured aid agencies they could continue working in areas under its control. He described humanitarian agencies as vital for assisting civilians and providing medical care to the wounded, while the wider debate remains centred on access and protection.
South Sudan peace deal context and ongoing instability
The report situates the current tensions within South Sudan’s broader instability since the 2018 peace agreement that ended a five-year civil war. It notes sporadic fighting, political tensions, and economic collapse, factors that continue to drive displacement and high humanitarian needs across the country.