South Sudan monitors say communities in Central Equatoria live in fear of abduction

JUBA – South Sudan’s ceasefire monitoring body on Tuesday said that communities in the country’s southern parts of Central Equatoria State continue to live in fear of attacks or abductions by armed groups of the National Salvation Front (NAS).

Speaking during a monthly plenary in Juba yesterday, Maj. Gen. Yitayal Gelaw Bitew, Chairperson of the Ceasefire Transitional Security Arrangement Monitoring and Verification Mechanism (CTSAMVM), said criminal activities have hampered the delivery of urgent humanitarian assistance to vulnerable people.

“The recent wave of attacks has also led to the abduction of humanitarian workers for ransom, further jeopardizing vulnerable rural communities and returning refugees, as access to humanitarian aid diminishes,” said Gelaw.

Gelaw said the CTSAMVM remains committed to monitoring and verifying Chapter 2 of the R-ARCSS, adding that despite the challenges, they will continue to support their teams across the country.

“Our Monitoring and Verification Teams in Juba successfully conducted a long-duration patrol in Eastern Equatoria State, engaging with local leaders to foster cooperation and monitor compliance with the peace agreement,” he said.

He disclosed that the team in Wau conducted a long-duration patrol in Bahr el Ghazal State to monitor and verify compliance with the ceasefire in their areas of responsibility.

“The team in Malakal has also carried out Dynamic Air Patrol in Renk. We will discuss the findings and observations from these patrols in the next Board Meeting,” he said.

“CTSAMVM Headquarters will continue visiting all other Monitoring and Verification Teams in the coming sessions to ensure their operational conditions and support our activities,” he added.

NAS, formed in 2017 and led by Gen. Thomas Cirilo Swaka, the former deputy head of logistics in the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF), is active in Central Equatoria State and has been blamed for the wave of attacks on civilians along major roads.

Gelaw noted that the attack on the Bebeto bus along the Juba-Nimule road on September 24, 2024, has instilled fear among travelers. The SSPDF spokesperson, Maj. Gen. Lul Ruai Koang, blamed this attack, which left one person killed and several people feared kidnapped, on NAS.

Despite a peace deal being in place to end years of civil war in South Sudan, insecurity remains rife in many parts of the country. NAS, which refused to sign the 2018 peace accord, has not commented on the bus attack.

In August 2022, 11 passengers were killed and several others wounded when their vehicle was ambushed by unidentified armed men along the Juba-Nimule road. A year earlier, two Catholic nuns were killed along the same highway as they were traveling back to Juba.