South Sudan's English Daily Newspaper
"We Dare where others fear"
By Jenifer James
The South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF) has issued a 72-hour ultimatum to armed youth from the Greater Pibor Administrative Area (GPAA) to cease their advance toward Jonglei State.
SSPDF spokesperson Maj. Gen. Lul Ruai Koang, said that the army’s aerial surveillance units have over the last three days detected large groups of heavily armed youth moving from GPAA toward Jonglei State.
“In line with our constitutional mandate to protect the people and their properties against unwarranted and wanton destruction, SSPDF command strongly warns the armed youth to halt their march and disperse within 72 hours,” said Koang in a statement on Thursday.
He cautioned that failure to comply with this directive would compel the SSPDF to take decisive action.
“Should they fail to comply with the above warnings and directives, the SSPDF will not hesitate to deploy all capabilities at its disposal to preempt and avert planned large-scale offensive attacks,” said Koang.
The SSPDF’s ultimatum comes amid rising tensions in the region.
In December 2024, the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) expressed concern over reports of youth mobilisation in Jonglei and GPAA, warning of potential large-scale conflict.
UNMISS called on local authorities to take immediate action to de-escalate the situation and prevent violence.
Additionally, in January 2025, political leaders from Jonglei State and GPAA signed a joint action plan aimed at preventing inter-communal conflict and strengthening the rule of law in the region.
