SSPDF, armed youth told to cease hostilities in Nasir
Ceasefire monitor, UN, among other bodies, have urged both parties to reflect on the rationale and stop the cycle of armed violence that has a direct impact on the civilian population.
By James Chatim and Emmanuel Mandella
The Ceasefire and Transitional Security Arrangement Monitoring and Verification Mechanism (CTSAMVM) has called on the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF) and the armed civilians to cease hostilities in Nasir, Unity State.
Speaking during the mechanism’s technical committee meeting on Tuesday, Major Gen. Yitayal Gelaw Bitew, the CTASMVM chairperson called on the SSPDF and armed civilians to cease the continued armed exchanges in Nasir County of Upper Nile State.
Gelaw lamented that the tensions have been high in the area which led to the displacement of civilians.
He urged both parties to reflect on the rationale and stop the cycle of armed violence that has a direct impact on the civilian population.
“In Upper Nile State, we have once again received several accounts of continuing armed exchanges between the SSPDF and armed civilians in the vicinity of Nasir Town.”
“Tensions have been high in the area, which has led to displacement of civilians. CTSAMVM calls on both parties to reflect on the rationale for continuing this cycle of armed violence and its impact on the civilian population,” Gelaw said.
Meanwhile, on Monday, the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) said it was deeply concerned by clashes in Nassir, Upper Nile.
UNMISS said on 14-15 February, a series of violent exchanges took place between the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF) and armed youth in Nassir.
“These included the use of heavy weaponry which has, reportedly, resulted in deaths and injuries to civilians as well as armed personnel. A pre-planned UNMISS patrol was also impacted by the fighting, with a peacekeeper sustaining injuries during mortar shelling,” the statement said.
“I urge all involved to demonstrate restraint and immediately restore calm. I also strongly condemn any violence against our peacekeepers and reiterate that such actions constitute a violation of international law,” said Nicholas Haysom, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General and Head of UNMISS.
Speaking to The City Review on Sunday, Commissioner of Nasir County, Gatluak Lew Thiap said the situation in the area had returned to relative calm following gunfight between the armed civilians and the national army.
Even shooting had stopped, Gatluak revealed that the security situation in the area was still tense, as there was no much movement within the area,
He confirmed that ten people were injured from the exchange, seven of them men and two women. The other from the peacekeeping forces (UNMISS).
In a statement released late last week, SSPDF spokesperson Lul Ruai Koang accused the Sudan People’s Liberation Army in opposition (SPLA-IO) of continuous incitement of the white Army.
“The SSPDF command/ leadership would like to inform our rank and file and the public at large that four of its dedicated servicemen paid the ultimate price in defence of Nasir town, Nasir County, Upper Nile State,” the statement read in part.
“On Valentine’s Day, at 3 pm, three soldiers left defensive trenches to collect firewood. Only 600 meters away, they were attacked, and an officer was killed. A second attack was launched after two hours and the third attack on February 15. The three unjustified attacks, respectively, killed four soldiers and wounded three others.”
The SSPDF called on the ceasefire monitor, CTSAMVM, to investigate the latest violations to the peace agreement in Upper Nile, Western Equatoria and Western Bahr al -Ghazal,
However, amidst the prevalent clashes, Edmund Yakani, a civil society activist and Executive Director of the Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO) condemned the attacks, terming it a ‘situation of armed war.’
“I would like to take this opportunity to strongly condemn the regular violence in Nasir County, Upper Nile State, between the SSPDF and the White Army,” Yakani said.
“It seems that Nasir is facing a situation of armed war, and the leadership of the country is silent and very reflectance in responding to alleviating the situation permanently,” he added.
