Jonglei NGO Vehicles: SPLM/A-IO Denial Explained
JUBA — The Sudan People’s Liberation Movement/Army in Opposition (SPLM/A-IO) says it did not issue instructions to confiscate vehicles belonging to humanitarian organisations in Jonglei State. The group describes the alleged directive shared on social media as a forgery and says any seized assets should be returned.
Forgery Claim and Internal Probe: What the Spokesperson Said
In a statement dated Thursday, January 8, 2026, SPLM/A-IO spokesperson Pal Mai Deng said the circulating order, allegedly signed by Sector Three Commander Maj. Gen. John Luk Bayak, was not authentic. He said Gen. Luk neither wrote nor authorised instructions for forceful seizures.
Return Orders and Field Reports from Akobo County
Pal Mai Deng said an internal investigation has been opened to identify who produced and circulated the document. He added that Gen. John Luk Bayak has issued an order to immediately return any vehicles taken from humanitarian organisations, should any confiscation have occurred.
The clarification follows reports that armed individuals seized three NGO vehicles in Walgak, Akobo County. The reports alleged the action was linked to the forged order circulating online.
Opposition Military Wing Response: ‘Communication Error’
In a separate statement the same day, Col. Lam Paul Gabriel, spokesperson of the opposition military wing, said a “communication error” resulted in the unexpected acquisition of the vehicles. He said individuals falsely claimed they were acting under the authority of Sector Three command.
Col. Lam said the SPLA-IO Acting Chief of General Staff, Lt. Gen. Peter Thok Chuol Lual, has assured concerned parties that the incident is regrettable and will be addressed quickly. “Anyone found culpable will be held accountable,” Lam said, while reaffirming commitments to civilian protection and humanitarian worker safety.
International Diplomats’ Warning on Humanitarian Principles
The SPLM/A-IO statements come as international pressure intensifies. A joint diplomatic statement led by the United States and endorsed by the embassies of Canada, Germany, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom condemned the reported order.
The diplomats called the alleged directive a “flagrant violation of international humanitarian principles.” They warned that confiscating NGO assets puts aid workers at risk, demanded the reversal of any such order, and called for the return of all seized vehicles.
Aid Access in South Sudan: Ongoing Insecurity in Jonglei
The joint statement stressed that no party in South Sudan has the right to confiscate assets provided by donor governments for life-saving humanitarian assistance. Humanitarian organisations continue to work in insecure conditions in Jonglei and other areas, where access constraints and armed violence complicate aid delivery.