South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF) soldiers in full military gear in Juba, South Sudan’s capital, ready for deployment. |File Photos|.
Munich, Friday 6 June 2025
South Sudan President, Salva Kiir Mayardit, on Thursday evening, declared a state of emergency in Warrap and Unity states due to the increasing intercommunal violence. This measure aims to enable the government to effectively manage the situation and re-establish the rule of law in Tonj and Mayom counties.
This decision comes after a period of intense armed conflict carried out by heavily armed youth against civilians, which has tragically resulted in numerous deaths and the destruction of property.
In Tonj, despite the government’s repeated disarmament efforts aimed at retrieving illegal firearms, civilians have heavily armed themselves. This situation poses a significant threat to establishing the rule of law and peaceful coexistence in the region.
According to Majok Biar Biit-dit, a resident of Tonj South County, firearms recovered from civilians often find their way back to them under the justification that they will be used to protect cattle from armed raiders.
“Unfortunately, we are killing ourselves,” Biar said. “There were several disarmament exercises that were conducted in the past. People willingly handed over their guns to the government, but, unfortunately, the same guns found their way back to them in an illicit way, under the pretext that the community would be vulnerable to attacks from the neighbouring communities of Mayom.”
In 2017, the United Nations Security Council slapped an arms embargo on South Sudan. This decision followed the extensive armed conflict and clashes between government forces and opposition groups.
Furthermore, the UN Security Council sanctions were imposed on individuals and entities deemed to be obstructing peace efforts or profiting from the ongoing conflict, allegations which the government under President Salva Kiir Mayardit has consistently denied.
The arms embargo and sanctions have made little progress as South Sudan continues to receive military logistics through Uganda and neighbouring Sudan. Uganda has been fighting alongside the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF) against the SPLA-IO and armed White Army forces in parts of the country. Through which South Sudan gets access to ammunition, spare parts for military tanks, and gunships, as witnessed in the recent conflict in Nasir and Ulang counties of Upper Nile State.
President Kiir’s recent action follows closely on the heels of a statement from the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS). Just two days prior, UNMISS urged the transitional government to address the increasing conflict in Tonj and Mayom counties by deploying forces to re-establish law and order.
Guang Cong, the Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General at UNMISS, expressed serious concerns regarding the escalating intercommunal violence in Tonj East, which has tragically resulted in hundreds of fatalities and widespread displacement.
Magok Magok Deng, the former governor of Warrap State, last month issued an order directing the traditional chiefs to champion the voluntary registration of all firearms under the possession of the youth, to contain the sporadic shootings and killings in the state.
The order was rejected by the armed youth, citing that they purchased the guns for self-defense and to protect their cattle from the armed raiders.
