Kiir to address nation following killing of general in Nasir

JUBA – South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir is set to address the nation on Friday evening, hours after the killing of Maj. Gen. Majur Dak, a brigade commander of the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF) in Nasir County, Upper Nile State.

Local sources said Majur was killed during an evacuation attempt facilitated by the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), which had secured an agreement from the warring parties, including the government, the Sudan People’s Liberation Army-in-Opposition (SPLA-IO), and the White Army.

The circumstances surrounding his death remain unclear, but tensions between government forces and opposition groups have escalated in recent weeks, with reports of increased hostilities in Nasir and detentions of SPLA-IO officers and politicians in Juba.

Information Minister Michael Makuei Lueth has called on accredited local and international journalists to cover the president’s address, scheduled to take place at 4:00 PM at the Office of the President today.

The killing of Majur Dak comes amid heightened political and security tensions in South Sudan.

In recent days, SPLA-IO officers and politicians have been detained in Juba, fueling concerns over the fragile peace agreement. The incident in Nasir is likely to add further strain to the already tense relations between rival factions.