Violence in South Sudan's oil-rich Jonglei State has escalated after government-appointed county commissioner James Kueth Makuach was killed by opposition forces on Sunday. The government confirmed the assassination late Monday, with fighting intensifying in recent days and an unknown number of casualties.
Details of the Attack
Opposition fighters launched an assault on Walgak, a remote area in Akobo West, where Makuach was killed. Makuach had defected to President Salva Kiir's ruling party in April after being removed by the opposition's acting leadership earlier this year. The government then appointed him as county commissioner, contravening a 2018 peace agreement that assigns the Akobo County position to Riek Machar's opposition party. Machar remains in prison facing treason charges.
Government Response
The ruling party issued a statement strongly condemning the brutal killing and announced an emergency session to discuss the incident. Opposition-appointed governor John Wiyual Lul reported that opposition forces briefly seized the area before withdrawing after government reinforcements arrived, and that senior army officers were among those killed.
Uncertain Casualty Figures
Jonglei State government spokesperson Nyamar Lony Thichiot told The Associated Press late Monday that casualty figures remained unclear. The Reconstituted Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission, which monitors South Sudan's peace process, said the renewed violence undermines the implementation of the 2018 peace deal and threatens civilian safety.
Background of Conflict
Fighting in Akobo County broke out in March when opposition forces targeted a government base. The United Nations withdrew its peacekeepers from a base established to help protect civilians in June. Civil society leaders warned that political tensions are increasingly spilling onto the battlefield again.
Civil Society Concerns
Juba-based civil society activist Bol Deng Bol said, "This is an unfortunate relapse into violence and a clear threat to civilians, their property and humanitarian operations." Another activist, Edmond Yakani, urged both sides to fully respect the permanent ceasefire. South Sudan is scheduled to hold long-delayed elections on December 22, its first since independence from Sudan in 2011.
