The South Sudan ceasefire monitors have expressed alarm over ongoing violations of the truce.
Speaking at the 50th meeting of the board of the Ceasefire and Transitional Security Arrangement Monitoring and Verification Mechanism (CTSAMVM) on Tuesday, Chairperson Maj Gen Yitayal Gelaw Bitew stated that while the truce is largely holding, there are growing concerns over recent violations in Western Equatoria.
“It is with regret that I must inform you, as I did with the CTSAMVM Technical Committee, that for the first time in my tenure as chairman, the integrity of the ceasefire is not upheld across all of South Sudan. CTSAMVM is particularly concerned about ongoing armed clashes between two signatory parties in Western Equatoria and Western Bahr El Ghazal,” he said.
Maj Gen Yitayal revealed that CTSAMVM’s Verification Teams were alerted to reports of clashes over the weekend of January 11 and 12. Consistent accounts from both parties and civil society representatives indicated that these incidents were not isolated misunderstandings but rather deliberate attacks on ceasefire partners.
“These exchanges of fire have tragically resulted in loss of life, injuries, and displacement among civilians and uniformed personnel. CTSAMVM has already addressed this issue with the Joint Monitoring and Coordination Office and the CTSAMVM Technical Committee. Consequently, our Monitoring and Verification Teams from Wau and Yambio have been deployed to investigate,” he added.
CTSAMVM condemned the armed clashes and urged both parties to exercise restraint and sound judgment. “This is a critical moment for exemplary leadership—one that embraces dialogue and fosters mediation to alleviate tensions and resolve grievances,” said Yitayal.
Additionally, Yitayal noted plans to address another violation report from Nasir County in Upper Nile State involving the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF) and armed civilians.
“This area has long been a hotspot for conflict and a focal point for state and county mediation efforts. CTSAMVM supports these initiatives and, alongside several distinguished members of our Technical Committee and Board, conducted a joint dynamic air patrol to Nasir Town on January 16, 2025,” he said.
He added, “The participants engaged with both security and civilian stakeholders to gain insights into the drivers of conflict, with a particular focus on how the CTSAMVM Technical Committee and Board can support ongoing and future peacebuilding efforts in the county.”