By Matik Kueth
A Ugandan People’s Defense Forces (UPDF) warplane bombarded Akobo County, Jonglei State, on Tuesday, triggering civilian panic and displacement, following a similar aerial bombardment over the weekend in Nasir County, Upper Nile State.
Puok Nyang, Akobo County Commissioner, confirmed the incident in an interview with King Media, noting that the bombs struck two pickups heading to Akobo West.
“Today at 12:45 PM, we heard the sound of a gunship bombing at the outskirts of Akobo town. Then when we rushed to the site, we discovered that the helicopter gunship was bombing two vehicles coming from Akobo West to Akobo East. And this is what happened. So, it was our surprise because we didn’t know that there was any problem with Akobo County that should let the SSPDF and the UPDF gunship bomb Akobo County,” Nyang stated.
The aerial bombardments from the UPDF and the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF) took both the civilian population and Akobo County authorities by surprise.
On March 16, an airstrike targeted the towns of Nasir, Ulang, and Longechuk counties, causing major destruction and killing 21 people.
In a press conference held on Monday, Michael Makuei, the Minister of Information, confirmed the presence of the UPDF in Juba, contradicting earlier denials.
He revealed that the UPDF carried out the attack in Nasir after the White Army refused to evacuate from the SSPDF military camps they had captured.
Despite efforts from the Lou Nuer White Army leader in Akobo to assist with the extraction and evacuation of SSPDF survivors’ post-conflict in Nasir, the redeployment of ununified SSPDF forces remains contentious.
The extension of bombardments into Akobo County has intensified concerns about the security landscape in Upper Nile.
Last week, Koat Banang, Lou Nuer White Army leader, escorted eight SSPDF survivors from Nasir to Juba, while nine others remained in Buong Payam, also later airlifted to Juba over the weekend.
The clashes between the SSPDF and the Jikany-Nuer White Army, which erupted from March 3 to 8, have resulted in civilian losses and thousands of displacements in recent weeks.
The UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), whose helicopter crew member perished while transporting wounded soldiers from Nasir, expressed grave concern about the situation.
It also urged all parties to maintain patience and follow peace treaties to avoid further escalation.
The worsening situation in Upper Nile have drawn regional and international attention, putting more pressure on the warring factions to engage in negotiation and preserve the peace deal.