South Sudan’s main opposition faction has ordered its forces to advance on the capital, Juba, following a significant battlefield victory. The move signals a major escalation in the country’s renewed conflict.
The Sudan People’s Liberation Army-in-Opposition (SPLA-IO) captured the strategic town of Pajut last week after heavy fighting. Pajut’s fall puts the state capital of Bor within reach and marks the most substantial opposition gain in months.
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SPLA-IO spokesperson Col. Lam Paul Gabriel announced the new orders in a statement. Deputy Chief of Staff Wisley Welebe Samson commanded forces “to move to Juba from all directions of South Sudan and remove the anti-peace regime.”
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It remains unclear if the opposition poses a credible military threat to the heavily defended capital. However, the call marks a sharp increase in rhetoric and ambition. The United Nations reports that recent clashes have reached a scale not seen since 2017, before a fragile peace deal.
The conflict pits forces loyal to President Salva Kiir against the SPLA-IO, historically aligned with detained Vice President Riek Machar. Machar faces treason charges related to a militia attack last year, which he denies.
The fighting has triggered a severe humanitarian crisis. In Jonglei State, civilians are fleeing into swamps to escape violence. The UN Commission for Human Rights condemned the “deliberate sabotage” of the 2018 peace agreement and reported indiscriminate aerial bombardments.
South Sudan’s military declined to comment on the opposition’s advance.
