South Sudan: Army accused of attacking civilians in Yei State August 15

Event

The Sudanese People's Liberation Army (SPLA) has been embroiled in fresh accusations of assaulting civilians in Yei State (Central Equatoria) on Tuesday, August 15. A catholic clergyman based in Yei claimed that the SPLA has continued to undermine trust between the military and locals due to incessant harassment and violent assaults against civilians. The SPLA has not responded to the allegations, and increased tensions are possible in Yei in the coming days.

Context

Violence intensified in Yei State in the summer of 2016, resulting in mass internal displacement. Reports claim that SPLA soldiers have deliberately targeted civilians during outbreaks of fighting, including the minority Acholi ethnic group. The SPLA have denied these claims, and argue that their forces are only conducting operations against SPLA-IO rebels. A ceasefire was reached in June 2017, and relative calm was restored in July. However, the security situation in Yei and the Greater Equatoria region remains extremely unstable.

South Sudan is wracked by political, interethnic and intercommunal violence, all exacerbated by border and oil revenue disputes with Sudan. Following the 2011 signature of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement that gave the country its independence from Sudan, the predominantly north-south conflict has given way to a pattern of internal violence. Since December 2013, the country has experienced a stop-and-start civil war between the government of President Salva Kiir Mayardit and the SPLA on one side, and rebel forces in support of former Vice President Riek Machar Tehny Durgon and his Sudan People's Liberation Army in Opposition (SPLA-IO) on the other. This is despite international support for state-building and peace-keeping - including the 12,000 strong United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) deployed since 2011. The number of South Sudanese citizens displaced by the conflict currently stands at some 3.5 million.

Advice

Due to this and other security concerns, many Western governments advise against nonessential travel to South Sudan. Certain regions should be particularly avoided, including the states of Unity and Upper Nile, the north of Warrap state, parts of Eastern and Central Equatoria states, and areas along the border with the Central African Republic, Kenya, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. If travel is necessary, ensure that proper security protocols are in place.