JUBA — Rival factions of South Sudan’s main armed opposition Sudan People’s Liberation Army in Opposition (SPLA-IO), clashed in Central Equatoria on Thursday morning, opening another military front in an internal leadership dispute that has increasingly spread from political institutions to forces on the ground.
The fighting took place around the SPLA-IO military position at Magoya, where forces aligned with acting chairman Oyet Nathaniel Pierino and a rival camp associated with Secretary-General Regina Joseph Kaba accused each other of launching the attack. The number of casualties was not immediately known.
Videos circulated on social media on Thursday morning purported to show forces involved in the confrontation, but Sudans Post could not independently establish from the footage alone when all of the clips were recorded or which side initiated the fighting.
Pal Mai Deng, spokesperson for the SPLM-IO faction aligned with Kaba and chairperson of its National Committee for Information and Communication, said forces loyal to Oyet attacked the position and were repulsed.
“The apostate’s insurgent faction’s attackers were also repulsed today at Magoya SPLA-IO military barrack in Central Equatoria,” Pal said in a statement.
Pal accused Oyet’s faction of mounting attacks against SPLA-IO positions in an effort to prevent reconciliation among members who have taken opposing sides in the leadership dispute.
“We have instructed the SPLA-IO forces not to attack the apostate’s insurgent factions wherever they are and respond only in self-defense,” he said.
He also linked Thursday’s fighting to an earlier confrontation in Panyijiar County in Unity State on Sept. 15, saying Oyet-aligned forces attacked SPLA-IO troops there but were pushed back. Sudans Post could not independently establish which side initiated that confrontation.
The rival camp gave the opposite account of Thursday’s fighting.
Gordon Yien Gordon, acting deputy spokesperson in the office of the First Vice President and aligned with Oyet’s faction, said troops commanded by Maj. Gen. John Mabieh Gar did not attack the rival forces.
“SPLA-IO forces under Maj. Gen. John Mabieh Gar never launched any attack against Dhiling and his few elements,” Gordon said. “On the contrary, it’s them who attacked our position.”
He accused the Kaba-aligned group of acting with support from the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces, an allegation Sudans Post could not independently verify.
“It has now become clear that Regina’s group, backed up by the SSPDF, are the ones attacking SPLA-IO bases,” Gordon said.
“With today’s attack on our position, Regina’s group are helping the Juba regime to weaken SPLM/SPLA-IO and advance their divisive agenda,” he added.
The SSPDF had not immediately commented on the allegation.
Thursday’s confrontation is the latest indication that the SPLM/A-IO leadership dispute is affecting the movement’s military structures.
The crisis became public at the end of August when Oyet, who had been serving as acting chairman following the detention of SPLM-IO leader Riek Machar, suspended Kaba and seven other senior officials. Kaba and members of the Political Bureau rejected his authority and later announced Oyet’s suspension, creating rival leadership structures that each claim constitutional legitimacy.
Both camps continue to recognise Machar as chairman of the movement, but they disagree over who has authority to exercise his powers while he remains detained in Juba.
Oyet argues that his position as deputy chairman gives him authority to serve as acting chairman and commander-in-chief, while the Kaba camp says major decisions must be exercised collectively through the Political Bureau.
The dispute has since moved beyond competing suspension orders.
Parts of the SPLA-IO military command have declared support for Kaba, while most commanders and political structures have remained aligned with Oyet.
The division has also reached Unity State, one of the SPLA-IO’s main military strongholds. Earlier last week, Oyet appointed Maj. Gen. John Turuk Khor as the movement’s governor in Unity State, replacing Dhoal Koryom Lingling, who remains recognised by the rival camp. \
Turuk already commands Division 4A under Sector Two, giving the political dispute a direct military dimension.
The competing appointments and commands have created uncertainty over which orders SPLA-IO units should follow in areas where forces associated with both camps operate.
Thursday’s fighting in Central Equatoria appears to mark a further escalation because forces identifying with the rival leadership camps are now accusing each other of attacking established SPLA-IO positions.
