Author: The South Sudan Herald

Transit Site Mirrors Humanitarian Strain On Malakal’s dusty riverbank, rows of canvas and plastic now host hundreds of South Sudanese uprooted by Sudan’s 2024 fighting, Eye Radio reports. Their return has morphed a transit site into a protracted settlement. Aid tents line the former football pitch, but basics stop at food rations and buckets of water; proper housing, sanitation and jobs remain distant aspirations for most families. Single Mothers Carry Post-Conflict Burdens Tea seller Roselinda Clement Bernado left her husband in embattled Khartoum and walked with four children to Malakal, only to find her old house burned to the ground.…

Night Raid on Jonglei Canal Settlement A quiet December night in Jonglei State broke violently at 11 p.m. as unidentified gunmen stormed a herders’ camp bordering Panyagoor, local officials report. County Commissioner Juac Arok Juac said the assailants travelled along the Jonglei Canal, killing four residents, including one woman, and injuring a man before driving off 300 cattle. “The timing, during Christmas, shocks us,” he stated, calling the raid “deeply unfortunate” while directing security units to pursue the attackers. Suspicions Point Toward Greater Pibor Youth Eyewitnesses heard the Murle language and watched the attackers leave toward the Greater Pibor Administrative…

Rich Soil, Empty Granaries Satellite images reveal lush green belts along the Nile, yet supermarkets in Juba import maize from thousands of kilometres away. South Sudan harbours over 30 million hectares of arable land, but only a fraction feeds its 12 million citizens. Conflict’s Lingering Footprint Economists link every harvest dip since 2013 to waves of violence that emptied granaries and villages alike. World Food Programme analysts estimate that unrest now threatens the diets of seven in ten South Sudanese. Farmers who once grew sorghum for markets now plant only what a fleeing family can carry. Investors, wary of roadblocks…

Disputed Troop Surrender Statement South Sudan’s Minister of Agriculture, Hussein Abdelbagi, startled observers last week by announcing he had handed over more than 3,000 combatants allegedly loyal to his leadership within the South Sudan Patriotic Movement and the wider opposition alliance. SSPM Stands By Peace Agreement Procedures Within hours, SSPM branded the declaration “false and misleading,” insisting Abdelbagi has never held field command and therefore cannot speak for troops whose integration is governed by the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan (R-ARCSS). Political Fallout After February Dismissal Party chairman Dr. Costello Garang Ring Lual had…

Season of Forgiveness in Juba Cardinal Stephen Ameyu Martin Mulla stood before a packed St. Theresa Cathedral in Juba on Christmas Eve, offering a simple plea: “forgive and love.” At a time when many South Sudanese families carry memories of conflict, his words landed with quiet urgency. The prelate framed Christmas as a living reminder that divine love once took human form, emphasising that “forgiveness is the seed of lasting peace.” His message echoes previous calls by church leaders who often mediate local disputes. Christian Doctrine and Social Healing In Catholic teaching, reconciliation is sacramental; yet Cardinal Ameyu moved the…

Kiir’s Christmas Message Emphasises Peace President Salva Kiir Mayardit, speaking on Christmas Eve, greeted citizens worldwide and framed the holiday season as a moment for peace, love and reflection. He insisted that rejecting violence in all its forms remains the foremost national duty after years of painful conflict. Economic Recovery Hinges on 2026 Elections Kiir directly connected economic recovery to the holding of timely elections, declaring that government action on unemployment and inflation depends on a credible vote. The roadmap anticipates balloting in December 2026, a target set after multiple postponements since the 2018 revitalised peace accord. Peace Deal Amendments…

Festive Season Plea for Peace As Christmas lights flicker across Juba, civil society leader Edmond Yakani has urged President Salva Kiir to mark the holidays with an immediate nationwide ceasefire (Eye Radio, Juba). He says a seasonal truce would signal genuine commitment to reconciliation and allow families to celebrate without fear. Call for Release of High-profile Detainees Yakani, who heads the Community Empowerment for Progress Organization, also appealed for the release of prominent political detainees, including former vice-president Dr Benjamin Bol Mel and ex-security chief General Akol Koor Kuc. He argued that such gestures would restore public confidence and echo…

Firearms Ban Tested in Bor Town A quiet Thursday afternoon shifted abruptly at 2:40 p.m. when security personnel stationed near Langar Baar confronted a group of armed civilians. The officers were enforcing a Jonglei State directive that forbids anyone, civilian or uniformed, from carrying weapons inside Bor municipality without prior clearance. Pursuit Ends in Deadly Exchange When ordered to surrender their rifles, the group reportedly sped toward the Arek neighborhood. According to police spokesperson 1st Lieutenant Akech Mapiou Dau, the fleeing men opened fire during the chase, killing one officer. Return fire left three suspected gunmen fatally wounded amid startled…

Holiday Security Surge in Torit Town Eastern Equatoria State launched a pre-holiday security surge across Torit town on Tuesday, stationing mixed forces at seven strategic points to reassure residents ahead of Christmas and New Year celebrations. Local Government Minister Peter Lokeng Lotone, speaking for Governor Louis Lobong Lojore, described the operation as “critical for creating an environment where citizens can celebrate freely and safely,” adding a stern warning to neighborhood gangs against any disruption. Joint Forces Strategy and Logistics Police officers, SSPDF soldiers, wildlife rangers, firefighters and national security agents form a single command, rotating between Juba Bridge, Hai Neem,…

Cabinet unveils salary acceleration system On 23 December, South Sudan’s Council of Ministers endorsed a purpose-built payment channel to clear salary arrears haunting civil servants and the organised forces. Minister of Cabinet Affairs Dr Martin Elia Lomuro called the scheme “a morale booster that cannot wait,” stressing immediate transfers by the Finance Ministry to safeguard household stability across the country. Presidential backing remains consistent Observers recall President Salva Kiir’s repeated instructions to prioritise salaries, a stance he first voiced during 2019 fiscal tensions and has since reiterated at nearly every budget retreat. By formalising the directive through a specialised mechanism,…