JUBA – South Sudan’s army said on Sunday evening it had regained control of Nasir town, the capital of Upper Nile State’s Nasir County, according to a statement from army spokesman Lul Ruai Koang.
The announcement by the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF) comes days after the military reported taking control of Ulang County headquarters following a withdrawal by armed youth.
Nasir, located 180 kilometers southeast of Malakal, was seized by Nuer ethnic armed youth, known as the White Army, in early March after an SSPDF attempt to disarm local residents.
In his statement, SSPDF spokesman Lul Ruai Koang said the army had retaken the town but provided no further details on the circumstances of the recapture.
“On behalf of SSPDF command, the National Army Spokesman would like to officially announce to own rank & file and the members of the public on re-liberation of the historical town of Nasir,” Koang wrote on his official Facebook page.
He described the recapture of Nasir as “the greatest Easter Holidays gift for servicemen who had paid the ultimate price during its defense and recapture,” adding that the military would release further information.
There was no immediate comment from the White Army, an armed youth group that fought alongside the main armed opposition Sudan People’s Liberation Army in Opposition (SPLA-IO) during the 2013-2018 civil war.
