Yakani warns of return to war as peace parties clash in Unity State

JUBA – The ongoing fighting in Unity State’s Leer County between the SSPDF and main armed opposition SPLA-IO has drawn strong condemnation from the Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO), marking a concerning breach of the permanent ceasefire.

Fighting broke out this morning after SSPDF and allied militias attacked an SPLA-IO base outside Leer town.

The clash, SPLA-IO officials and residents say, began at around 5:00AM and that the attack targeted Kaigai village, 10 KM east of Leer, and was still ongoing as of 8:00AM.

In a statement extended to Sudans Post this morning, CEPO’s Executive Director Edmund Yakani highlighted the danger these violations pose to the country’s revitalized peace agreement and the permanent ceasefire associated with it.

Yakani expressed deep concern over the ongoing clashes, emphasizing their contradiction to the President’s commitment to keeping the country free from war.

“The violations of the Permanent Ceasefire in Unity State undermine the president’s promise to the nation that under his leadership the country will not return to war,” he said, adding that the clashes in Leer are a proxy war and that the presidency needs to take serious steps to observe the ceasefire.

Yakani urged an immediate investigation into the ceasefire breaches, calling upon the Ceasefire Transitional Security Arrangement Monitoring and Verification Mechanism (CTSAMVM) to swiftly probe these violations and disclose their findings publicly.

The activist also urged the Governor of Unity State to intervene and exert control over the military leaders of various armed groups to prevent further clashes.

The continuous breaches of the ceasefire in Unity State, coupled with previous incidents in Upper Nile State, paint a troubling picture.

Yakani highlighted the risks these violations pose, signaling a regressive trend towards conflict, a contradiction to the president’s peace assurances.

As the country approaches the end of the transitional period with impending elections, CEPO emphasized the urgent need for stringent measures to safeguard peace and stability, cautioning against the agendas of those seeking to profit from turmoil and violence.