Rebel commander calls for advance on Juba amid civilian evacuation warning

JUBA – A senior commander of the Sudan People’s Liberation Army in Opposition (SPLA-IO) has ordered rebel forces to prepare for an advance toward South Sudan’s capital, Juba, as political tensions and armed confrontations continue to escalate in parts of the country.

Lt. Gen. Wisley Welebe Samson, the SPLA-IO Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations, delivered the directive in a video circulated on Monday by opposition spokesperson Col. Lam Paul Gabriel. In the footage, Welebe presents Juba as the movement’s main military objective and signals an intention to challenge the administration of President Salva Kiir directly.

“We are on a journey now. This journey is not anywhere else except Juba. We are going to Juba,” Welebe said in the video, adding that opposition forces would rely on whatever resources available to pursue the campaign. “The little things we have, we’ll use them. The one given by God, we’ll use it.”

In another passage, the commander suggested the confrontation with the government would be decisive, stating: “You don’t kill a snake from the tail unless you cut off the head. We are coming, comrades.” He also called on other armed opposition groups and disaffected elements within the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF) to join the advance.

Welebe further indicated frustration over years of operating from remote areas, saying opposition forces were “tired of living in the bush” and now sought to move the fight toward Juba. He suggested that even if the opposition eventually establishes a new headquarters elsewhere, the immediate focus remains the capital.

Following the release of the video, SPLA-IO spokesperson Lam Paul Gabriel issued a separate statement urging civilians in Juba to vacate areas that could become military targets should hostilities reach the city. “We urge all civilians in Juba to help God by vacating imminent military targets,” Lam said.

The statements have heightened concerns among residents and observers, recalling past episodes of urban fighting in Juba that resulted in civilian displacement and casualties. Analysts note that the latest rhetoric marks a significant escalation in opposition messaging and raises the risk of renewed large-scale confrontation.

Meanwhile, reports from Jonglei State indicate that civilians in some rural areas have fled following recent clashes between armed groups. In Narus County of Eastern Equatoria State, local sources say tension remains high amid fears of further violence.

Government officials have not yet publicly responded to Welebe’s remarks or the warning issued by the SPLA-IO spokesperson.