sudan
Senior Member
- Oct 17, 2012
- 266
- 11
- 51
Security developments
14.
Despite their repeated pledges to end the fighting, the two parties continued
sporadic military engagements in Jonglei, Unity and Upper Nile Sta
tes. On
6 February, the IGAD Monitoring and Verification Mechanism released the latest
summary of violations of the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement, totalling
26 violations since its deployment on 1 April 2014. Ten of the violations were
attributed to
SPLA and 12 to SPLM/A in Opposition, while four were attributed to
both parties.
Upper Nile State
15.
The security situation remained volatile during the reporting period, with
repeated clashes between SPLA and SPLM/A in Opposition forces, particula
rly in
Nassir and Renk counties. Fighting between armed youth aligned with the
Opposition and SPLA occurred on 20 November and 10 December, and on several
occasions between 29 December and 3 January, particularly in and around Nassir.
On 3 January, SPLA re
pulsed the armed youth to Kedbek, east of Nassir. The SPLA
took control of Kedbek on 12 January.
16.
On 20 November, SPLM/A in Opposition reportedly attacked an area
40
kilometres south of Renk town, but were repulsed by SPLA. On 10 December,
17 and 26 J
anuary, SPLM/A in Opposition briefly took control of villages in
northern Renk County, near the border with Sudan, before withdrawing. On 18 and
19
January, UNMISS heard shelling between SPLM/A in Opposition
-
held areas in
Manyo County and Renk town, which
remains under SPLA control. In Maban
County, clashes between SPLA and SPLM/A in Opposition occurred on
24
November and on 8 and 9 January. Tensions also rose in Maban County in early
January between SPLA and the Maban Defence Force (a local pro
-
SPLA armed
group) reportedly owing to the latter’s reluctance to integrate into SPLA, with the
Maban Defence Force commanders and senior officers replaced with SPLA
commanders. The Maban Defence Force also clashed with Opposition forces in
southern Maban County on 24
January. On 19 and 23 December, exchanges of
shellfire were reported in Panyikang County. The situation in Ulang and Baliet
counties remained tense.
Unity State
17.
Major tensions continued in areas north and south of the state capital, Bentiu,
with
skirmishes concentrated around the oilfields in Unity State and in Pariang
County. On 18 November, the SPLA regained control of the oilfields in Unity,
27
kilometres north of Bentiu in Rubkona County, which had been contested since
mid
-
September. In early
January 2015, however, SPLA and SPLM/A in Opposition
forces reportedly exchanged fire around the oilfields in Unity State. Fighting also
reportedly occurred south and south
-
east of Bentiu in Guit and Rubkona counties
between 6 and 12 January. On 21 and 22
January, clashes were reported in Pariang
County, with SPLA repulsing the Opposition northwards. On 30 January, UNMISS
received reports of clashes between SPLA and SPLM/A in Opposition near the
border between Mayom and Rubkona counties, west of Bentiu
S/2015/118
5
/
18
15
-
01749
Jonglei State
18.
SPLA and SPLM/A in Opposition clashed in Fangak and Pigi counties in the
north
-
western part of Jonglei State between 27 November and 10 December and
again on 19 and 23 December, resulting in the reported displacement of thousands
of ci
vilians. Each party controls parts of Pigi County, with SPLA reportedly in
control of New Fangak, in Fangak County.
Western Bahr el
-
Ghazal State
19.
The situation in Raga County has been tense throughout the reporting period.
Reports indicate that in
early January, approximately 30 Nuer soldiers deserted from
SPLA at Boro Medina and Raga towns in Raga County. The group has been blamed
for four ambushes that took place between 15 and 25 January, resulting, inter alia, in
the injury of the Raga County Co
mmissioner and up to 11 people killed.
Eastern Equatoria State
20.
Tensions briefly rose in mid
-
December following the defection of SPLA
Commander Major General Martin Kenyi, an ethnic Maadi from the Nimule area,
and claims were made that Kenyi and f
orces loyal to him were responsible for an
ambush of two trucks on the Juba
-
Nimule road on 15 December. On 21 December,
Riek Machar appointed Martin Kenyi as SPLM/A in Opposition’s Deputy Chief of
Staff for Moral Orientation and the commander of SPLM/A in
Opposition’s “Eastern
Equatoria Forces”. In January, SPLA and personnel of the National Security
Services detained Maadi and Acholi youth in Pageri, Magwi County, on suspicion of
sympathizing with Kenyi and SPLM/A in Opposition.
Intercommunal conflict
21.
The onset of the dry season contributed to an escalation in intercommunal
violence, particularly in Lakes State and the Equatorias. In Lakes State,
intercommunal conflict between Dinka
-
Agar subsections continued, despite efforts
at the national and S
tate levels to stem the violence. In the most significant incident
of intercommunal fighting, in Rumbek East on 27 December, up to 48 people were
killed. Government efforts to transition law enforcement responsibility in the State
back to the national poli
ce from SPLA, which was deployed as a temporary
mitigation measure to strengthen the weak presence of the national police in the
State, have had limited success. Moreover, the State
-
sponsored civilian disarmament
campaign is yet to take place amidst a cont
inuing influx of weapons.
22.
In Eastern Equatoria State, a cattle raid in Torit County on 6 December left
28
people dead. On 19 January, conflict between the Bari and Mundari tribes in Juba
County, Central Equatoria State, over cattle grazing on Bari far
ms, resulted in
11
people killed and Bari homes destroyed. Meanwhile, in Western Equatoria State,
the influx of Dinka pastoralists from Lakes and Jonglei states displaced local
farmers from the eastern counties.
B.
Regional dimensions of the conflict
23.
Regional involvement in the conflict continued during the reporting period
with the presence of a number of non
-
South Sudanese militia groups in the border
14.
Despite their repeated pledges to end the fighting, the two parties continued
sporadic military engagements in Jonglei, Unity and Upper Nile Sta
tes. On
6 February, the IGAD Monitoring and Verification Mechanism released the latest
summary of violations of the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement, totalling
26 violations since its deployment on 1 April 2014. Ten of the violations were
attributed to
SPLA and 12 to SPLM/A in Opposition, while four were attributed to
both parties.
Upper Nile State
15.
The security situation remained volatile during the reporting period, with
repeated clashes between SPLA and SPLM/A in Opposition forces, particula
rly in
Nassir and Renk counties. Fighting between armed youth aligned with the
Opposition and SPLA occurred on 20 November and 10 December, and on several
occasions between 29 December and 3 January, particularly in and around Nassir.
On 3 January, SPLA re
pulsed the armed youth to Kedbek, east of Nassir. The SPLA
took control of Kedbek on 12 January.
16.
On 20 November, SPLM/A in Opposition reportedly attacked an area
40
kilometres south of Renk town, but were repulsed by SPLA. On 10 December,
17 and 26 J
anuary, SPLM/A in Opposition briefly took control of villages in
northern Renk County, near the border with Sudan, before withdrawing. On 18 and
19
January, UNMISS heard shelling between SPLM/A in Opposition
-
held areas in
Manyo County and Renk town, which
remains under SPLA control. In Maban
County, clashes between SPLA and SPLM/A in Opposition occurred on
24
November and on 8 and 9 January. Tensions also rose in Maban County in early
January between SPLA and the Maban Defence Force (a local pro
-
SPLA armed
group) reportedly owing to the latter’s reluctance to integrate into SPLA, with the
Maban Defence Force commanders and senior officers replaced with SPLA
commanders. The Maban Defence Force also clashed with Opposition forces in
southern Maban County on 24
January. On 19 and 23 December, exchanges of
shellfire were reported in Panyikang County. The situation in Ulang and Baliet
counties remained tense.
Unity State
17.
Major tensions continued in areas north and south of the state capital, Bentiu,
with
skirmishes concentrated around the oilfields in Unity State and in Pariang
County. On 18 November, the SPLA regained control of the oilfields in Unity,
27
kilometres north of Bentiu in Rubkona County, which had been contested since
mid
-
September. In early
January 2015, however, SPLA and SPLM/A in Opposition
forces reportedly exchanged fire around the oilfields in Unity State. Fighting also
reportedly occurred south and south
-
east of Bentiu in Guit and Rubkona counties
between 6 and 12 January. On 21 and 22
January, clashes were reported in Pariang
County, with SPLA repulsing the Opposition northwards. On 30 January, UNMISS
received reports of clashes between SPLA and SPLM/A in Opposition near the
border between Mayom and Rubkona counties, west of Bentiu
S/2015/118
5
/
18
15
-
01749
Jonglei State
18.
SPLA and SPLM/A in Opposition clashed in Fangak and Pigi counties in the
north
-
western part of Jonglei State between 27 November and 10 December and
again on 19 and 23 December, resulting in the reported displacement of thousands
of ci
vilians. Each party controls parts of Pigi County, with SPLA reportedly in
control of New Fangak, in Fangak County.
Western Bahr el
-
Ghazal State
19.
The situation in Raga County has been tense throughout the reporting period.
Reports indicate that in
early January, approximately 30 Nuer soldiers deserted from
SPLA at Boro Medina and Raga towns in Raga County. The group has been blamed
for four ambushes that took place between 15 and 25 January, resulting, inter alia, in
the injury of the Raga County Co
mmissioner and up to 11 people killed.
Eastern Equatoria State
20.
Tensions briefly rose in mid
-
December following the defection of SPLA
Commander Major General Martin Kenyi, an ethnic Maadi from the Nimule area,
and claims were made that Kenyi and f
orces loyal to him were responsible for an
ambush of two trucks on the Juba
-
Nimule road on 15 December. On 21 December,
Riek Machar appointed Martin Kenyi as SPLM/A in Opposition’s Deputy Chief of
Staff for Moral Orientation and the commander of SPLM/A in
Opposition’s “Eastern
Equatoria Forces”. In January, SPLA and personnel of the National Security
Services detained Maadi and Acholi youth in Pageri, Magwi County, on suspicion of
sympathizing with Kenyi and SPLM/A in Opposition.
Intercommunal conflict
21.
The onset of the dry season contributed to an escalation in intercommunal
violence, particularly in Lakes State and the Equatorias. In Lakes State,
intercommunal conflict between Dinka
-
Agar subsections continued, despite efforts
at the national and S
tate levels to stem the violence. In the most significant incident
of intercommunal fighting, in Rumbek East on 27 December, up to 48 people were
killed. Government efforts to transition law enforcement responsibility in the State
back to the national poli
ce from SPLA, which was deployed as a temporary
mitigation measure to strengthen the weak presence of the national police in the
State, have had limited success. Moreover, the State
-
sponsored civilian disarmament
campaign is yet to take place amidst a cont
inuing influx of weapons.
22.
In Eastern Equatoria State, a cattle raid in Torit County on 6 December left
28
people dead. On 19 January, conflict between the Bari and Mundari tribes in Juba
County, Central Equatoria State, over cattle grazing on Bari far
ms, resulted in
11
people killed and Bari homes destroyed. Meanwhile, in Western Equatoria State,
the influx of Dinka pastoralists from Lakes and Jonglei states displaced local
farmers from the eastern counties.
B.
Regional dimensions of the conflict
23.
Regional involvement in the conflict continued during the reporting period
with the presence of a number of non
-
South Sudanese militia groups in the border