Author: The South Sudan Herald

Dawn Battle Stuns Yei River County At first light Saturday, fighters from the Sudan People’s Liberation Army-in-Opposition stormed South Sudan People’s Defense Forces positions in Lasu and Libogo, two farming villages southwest of Yei, unleashing the loudest firefight local residents recall since 2016. SPLA-IO spokesperson Colonel Lam Paul Gabriel said the operation began around 5 a.m., a time chosen, he noted, to “minimise civilian movement.” The army has not commented, but traders travelling the Yei–Lasu road confirmed plumes of smoke rising for hours afterward. Casualty Claims and Seized Weaponry Colonel Gabriel reported twelve government soldiers killed and five opposition fighters…

Key Lifeline Under Fire For residents of Western Equatoria, the 400-kilometre Juba-Yambio highway is more than asphalt; it is the spine that feeds markets, clinics and refugee camps across South Sudan. Yet recurring ambushes have turned its forested bends into a gauntlet no traveller forgets. On Monday at about 10 a.m., gunmen showered a UN-marked truck with bullets between Lainyi and Buagyi, wounding the driver in the leg but failing to halt the vehicle, County Commissioner John Henry Ngalamu confirmed by phone (The City Review). Eyewitness Accounts of Fear An eyewitness riding a battered minibus said the attack unfurled in…

Fresh Fighting Rocks Yei River County Gunfire echoed across Lasu and Libogo before dawn as South Sudan People’s Defence Forces exchanged fire with Sudan People’s Liberation Army-In-Opposition units, county commissioner Emmanuel Taban told regional media during a crackling phone call. Authorities Describe Ongoing Engagements “We are still on the frontline,” Taban stated, adding that confrontations were active past 10 a.m. He declined to disclose troop numbers or tactics, citing operational security while confirming government control of Yei town. Civilians Cite Looting Concerns Residents report commercial trucks ambushed on the Yei–Lasu road and shops emptied during the chaos. Taban blamed opposition…

Border Incursions Spark Diplomatic Push Central Equatoria’s Council of Ministers, chaired by Governor Rabi Mujung Emmanuel, has urged Juba and Kampala to open immediate dialogue after Ugandan forces reportedly crossed into Keji Kajo County, raising fears for South Sudan’s sovereignty, officials told reporters Thursday. Acting Information Minister Jacob Aligo Lo-Lado warned that any prolonged foreign military presence could inflame local sentiment, but stressed the government’s preference for “peaceful, swift, non-confrontational diplomacy” to settle the frontier line, echoing previous bilateral communiqués issued in 2022 and 2023. Council Calls for Calm Over Cattle Market Attack The cabinet condemned last week’s armed raid…

Fresh Mandate for Women’s Voice South Sudan Women’s Union passed the torch to Nyalang Dhal Dhal after Abak Yel Madoot moved to the Warrap State health docket. The vote signals continuity for a movement that has pressed for peace, inclusion and economic empowerment since independence. Government Voices Back New Chair Culture Minister Nadia Arop told delegates that leadership demands service, vision and courage. She promised, “We give you not only our trust but also our support,” framing the endorsement as a partnership meant to lift women’s concerns into national decision-making circles. Policy Priorities on the Table Acting parliamentary chair for…

Historic Upset in Juba Ballot Businessman Francis Amin reclaimed the presidency of the South Sudan Football Federation on Friday, defeating incumbent General Augustino Maduot in a closely watched vote in Juba. Official tallies published after a tense midday ballot showed Amin with 26 votes against Maduot’s 12, giving the challenger a decisive mandate that runs to 2029. Social Media Victory Cry Moments later, Amin posted a terse message on Facebook: “We have won the race. Thank you,” signaling both gratitude and confidence to a football community eager for stability. A Leader With Unfinished Business Amin previously led the federation from…

Juba Swearing-In Signals Fresh Start Under the chandeliers of Juba’s State House, President Salva Kiir placed his faith in Western Equatoria’s freshly appointed officials, urging them to fly home and “work diligently to restore stability, social harmony, and peace” as the crowd of dignitaries applauded. Governor James Altaib Berapai and Deputy Governor Justin Joseph Marona took their oaths beside Water Resources Minister James Mawich Makuach and Deputy Finance Minister Yien Chan Ruei, signalling an administrative reshuffle designed to tighten coordination between Juba and the troubled state. Escalating Ambushes Undermine Daily Life Roads to Yambio now echo with gunfire more than…

Shock in Yuai Town When internet café owner John Anei was fatally shot inside his shop in Yuai Town on 3 August, residents were jolted by yet another flash of violence that often ignites Jonglei’s fragile peace. Local officials say the gunmen acted in retaliation for relatives killed during a May highway ambush in neighbouring Twic East County, underscoring how private vendettas still shape communal security dynamics despite government patrols. Negotiating Blood Compensation After a week of tense dialogue, Uror and Bor County leaders agreed that Anei’s family will receive 51 cows, the customary ‘dia,’ while security agents continue to…

Renewed volatility along tri-border corridor Two days of skirmishes have reshaped the security map southwest of Yei, South Sudan, after the Sudan People’s Liberation Army-in-Opposition announced the capture of Lasu and Libogo, settlements lying barely 25 kilometres from the Ugandan and Congolese frontiers. Voices from the ground Phone calls from Yei crackled with reports of sustained gunfire, prompting families to flee towards church compounds and banana groves for shelter. “The shots did not stop for an hour,” recalled trader Mary Sembu, whose stall now stands deserted amid thick silence. Government soldiers in the vicinity declined on-record interviews, yet an army…

Regional Concerns Over Forced Transfers Thirty-one Arab and Islamic foreign ministers issued a joint communique rejecting any plan to uproot Palestinians from Gaza, warning that forcible transfer would breach international law and ignite broader conflict. The communique cautions that displacing civilians could embolden militancy, strain aid corridors and destabilise already fragile borders across the Middle East and Africa. South Sudan’s Role Questioned Regional media reported that Israeli officials sounded out several states, including South Sudan, about receiving Gaza civilians. Juba has not confirmed any approach, yet the speculation has thrust the young nation into an acute Middle-East diplomatic crossfire. South…