South Sudan: Rebels claim to have retaken Pagak August 15 /update 1

Event

Heavy fighting continued in Pagak, a town bordering Ethiopia, on Tuesday, August 15, after rebel forces launched an offensive against government forces in an attempt to reclaim the town, which was captured on August 7. A spokesperson for the South Sudanese People's Liberation Army In Opposition (SPLA-IO) claimed that government troops were pushed out of the town over the weekend, however government forces have refused to confirm the reports. A spokesperson for the South Sudanese People's Liberation Army (SPLA) has stated that the army is maintaining its defensive position in the nearby town of Guelguok.

Further clashes in and around Pagak are likely as the government continues its push to eliminate rebel groups.

Context

The South Sudanese People's Liberation Army took control of the SPLA-IO's headquarters (for the past four years) in Pagak on August 7. The SPLA was involved in heavy fighting during their attempt to secure the site, and approximately 5000 civilians were forced to flee the town.

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.