By Philip Buda Ladu
United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) has expressed deep concern over recent clashes between armed forces in Western Equatoria, which have resulted in civilian casualties and displacement.
The mission is calling for urgent intervention from the highest levels of the Reconstituted Transitional Government of National Unity (R-TGoNU) to prevent further escalation of the violence.
Several incidents between the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF) and the Sudan People’s Liberation Army-In-Opposition (SPLA-IO) in the area around Nagero County have been witnessed in recent days.
“We call on all military actors to refrain from conflict and resolve tensions through dialogue,” said Nicholas Haysom, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of UNMISS.
He emphasized that the clashes underscored the urgent need to accelerate the deployment of the Necessary Unified Forces (NUF) across the country, Haysom added.
The NUF are a key component of the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan (R-ARCSS) and are intended to unify the various armed forces in the country.
UNMISS continues to monitor the situation and urges all parties to prioritize the protection of civilians and to pursue peaceful means of resolving their differences.