SPLA-IO says it captures Yuai and Nadapal from government forces

JUBA — South Sudan’s main armed opposition SPLA-IO, announced on Friday that its forces had captured the strategic towns of Yuai and Nadapal, potentially dealing a significant blow to the government’s military footprint in the country’s northeast and southern border regions.

The group, led by imprisoned First Vice President Riek Machar, claimed its fighters overran South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF) bases in Yuai, the administrative capital of Jonglei State’s Uror County, and a military position in Nadapal, Eastern Equatoria.

SPLA-IO spokesperson Colonel Lam Paul Gabriel confirmed the takeover in a statement, noting that “Yuai and Nadapal have fallen” and stating that the group had taken full control of the respective military installations.

While the SSPDF did not issue an immediate comment, residents in both areas confirmed the change in control to Sudans Post, reporting that opposition forces moved in after successful military operations at dawn just after the new year.

The reported advances come just two days after military authorities in Juba ordered civilians to evacuate parts of Jonglei State, a move local monitors often view as a precursor to large-scale offensive operations.

The loss of Yuai is tactically significant for the government’s presence in the Greater Upper Nile region, especially in the Greater Lou-Nuer areas who remained under SPLA-IO control during the 2013-2018 civil war.

According to local sources, the capture effectively eliminates the government’s military presence across the three predominantly Lou Nuer counties of Nyirol, Uror, and Akobo.

This leaves only isolated SSPDF pockets in the Pading and Pulturuk areas, further consolidating SPLA-IO control over vast stretches of Jonglei State.

To the south, the seizure of Nadapal carries regional and economic implications. Located near the South Sudan–Kenya border, Nadapal is a sensitive flashpoint and a vital trade and transit route.

It has a long history of military and political tensions, and its capture disrupts a key corridor for goods entering the country from East Africa.

The flare-up occurs as South Sudan enters the 2026 dry season, a period traditionally associated with increased military mobility and conflict. Edmund Yakani, a prominent civil society activist and executive director of CEPO, warned that the coming months could see “deadly military confrontations across the country” if inclusive dialogue is not prioritized over battlefield gains.

Despite the 2018 Revitalized Peace Agreement intended to end years of civil war, the transition remains fragile.

The failure to fully integrate rival forces into a unified national army has left the country prone to sporadic fighting, with this latest escalation raising fresh concerns about civilian safety and the broader stability of the transitional government.