Ex-spy chief Akol Koor relocated ‘without any problem’ – SPLM SG Lam Both

JUBA – South Sudanese security forces have relocated former National Security Service (NSS) chief General Akol Koor Kuc from his residence in Thongpiny, the site of Thursday night’s gunfire, to another home in Jebel, according to SPLM Secretary-General Peter Lam Both.

The move comes after heavy gunfire erupted in Juba, reminiscent of the violent clashes that shook the capital in December 2013 and July 2016. The Thursday night confrontation between Akol’s bodyguards and security forces heightened fears of a return to instability.

In an update shared on his social media Facebook page and also on a popular WhatsApp group, Peter Lam, a close ally of President Salva Kiir Mayardit, announced that Akol had been peacefully relocated. He commended the president’s leadership in resolving the crisis.

“I want to inform all of you that the standoff between Gen. Akol Koor and the government is now resolved amicably,” he said.

“He is now relocated to his home with his family without any problem.  We thank the Chairman of SPLM President Gen. Salva Kiir Mayardit for ending this debacle peacefully,” he added.

Speaking to Sudans Post just after that public comment, Lam confirmed that Akol was accompanied by his wife and five bodyguards during the move. He praised the security forces for handling the situation responsibly.

“He has been moved and they were six in number. They are Akol’s wife and five bodyguards. I thank the security forces for acting with wisdom and making sure that this situation is not allowed to escalate into something more serious,” Lam said.

It was not immediately clear when Akol was relocated from his home. Yesterday, a security source involved in the operation to arrest him told Sudans Post that Akol had been apprehended and dismissed claims that he had been killed.

Meanwhile, photos circulating online show a ruined home in Thongpiny that appeared abandoned, with pedestrians gathering to assess the damage caused by the intense fighting in one of Juba’s most expensive neighborhoods.

The Thursday night gunfire marked one of the most significant security incidents in Juba in recent years, stirring memories of past clashes that left hundreds dead and plunged the country into deeper conflict.

Officials have since assured residents that calm has returned, with Akol and his family now safe at their new residence.