South Sudan Ceasefire monitors urge parties to exercise restraint amid violence

JUBA — The Ceasefire Transitional Security Arrangement Monitoring and Verification Mechanism (CTSAMVM) on Tuesday urged the parties to the 2018 revitalized peace agreement to commit to their obligations of preventing violence from escalating.

Speaking during the CTSAMVM monthly meeting in Juba on Thursday, the chairperson of Ceasefire Monitors, Maj. Gen. Yitayal Gelaw Bitew, said that sustaining peace is a collective responsibility of the signatory parties.

“We urge all parties to recommit to their obligations under the revitalized agreement and to ensure that military activities do not undermine the peace process. It is our collective responsibility to uphold the ceasefire and prevent further violence,” said Bitew.

“The combination of the ongoing conflict in Nasir and the continued arrests is causing a high level of anxiety among many stakeholders of the revitalized agreement on the resolution of conflict in South Sudan,” he said.

Bitew noted that the CTSAMVM reporting period has been marked by a series of clashes and violent incidents in different parts of the country, posing a serious threat to the stability that peace parties and monitors have worked hard to achieve.

“Confrontational and retaliatory clashes remain imminent among signatory parties to the R-ARCSS in Western Equatoria. These confrontations have not only resulted in casualties but have also displaced civilians, disrupted livelihoods, and increased tensions in an already fragile environment,” he said.

Bitew also mentioned that incidents of violations of the Permanent Ceasefire under the 2018 peace deal are not only setbacks to the peace process but also a cause of immense suffering for civilians caught in the crossfire.

“The impact of these incidents cannot be overstated, and we must address them with the utmost urgency. In particular, Upper Nile State has witnessed intense fighting between the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF) and an armed group identified as the White Army,” Bitew said.

“CTSAMVM calls upon all the parties involved to exercise maximum restraint, reaffirm their commitment to the R-ARCSS, and prioritize dialogue and reconciliation as the only sustainable path to peace.”

The CTSAMVM meeting convened to discuss a report on an alleged attack on the Ri Rangu SPLA-IO Assembly Area on February 12, 2025, by SSPDF, and the allegations of civilian displacement and detention by forces allied to SSPDF in Mukaya Payam of Lainya County in Central Equatoria State.