South Sudan monitors say violence continues to destabilize country despite ceasefire

JUBA – South Sudan’s ceasefire monitors warned on Thursday that ongoing violence by armed groups in many parts of South Sudan is undermining security across the country, even as the ceasefire holds in areas accessible to their teams.

Maj. Gen. Yitayal Gelaw Bitew, chairperson of the Ceasefire and Transitional Security Arrangements Monitoring and Verification Mechanism (CTSAMVM), said attacks targeting civilians and state security forces persist, posing a serious threat to stability.

“Violence against both civilians and the state security services by armed groups continues to destabilize the security situation in South Sudan,” Gelaw said during the 48^th CTSAMVM meeting on Thursday.

“CTSAMVM condemns these hostile actions and calls on all armed groups to engage in dialogue to address grievances. This is essential for allowing the citizens of South Sudan to enjoy lasting peace and stability,” he added.

Gelaw also highlighted significant challenges in conducting investigations, pointing to procedural delays and limited government support.

“Several patrols have been canceled or rescheduled during this reporting period due to procedural issues,” he said.

“The timely granting of Flight Safety Assurances is essential for conducting credible investigations. CTSAMVM urges all entities responsible for enabling CTSAMVM operations to extend their full support toward the timely investigation of allegations,” he added.

The revitalized peace agreement signed in September 2018 in Addis Ababa has faced repeated setbacks from logistical constraints and non-compliance by the signatories, mainly the SPLM-IG and the SPLM-IO, both led by the president and his first deputy, respectively.

These setbacks have necessitated two extensions of the transitional period and postponement of elections. The latest extension, declared in September, sets elections for December 2026, instead of its initiate timetable which put it in December 2024.