Ceasefire monitors in South Sudan alert to a potential breakdown of the ceasefire due to rising violence among peace agreement signatories. Major General Gelaw raised concerns over intensified clashes and resulting civilian casualties, calling on warring parties to reflect on their actions. Access challenges hinder monitoring efforts, particularly in conflict-affected areas. The situation is exacerbated by violent acts from the National Salvation Front, risking further civilian safety.
Ceasefire monitors in South Sudan have issued warnings about the possible breakdown of the country’s tenuous truce due to increasing armed clashes among signatories of the peace agreement. The conflict, which resumed after a five-year civil war ended in 2018, remains unresolved amidst ongoing political tensions as the nation approaches its first elections since independence. Major General Yitayal Gelaw Bitew, chairperson of the CTSAMVM, highlighted these concerns during a meeting in Juba, pointing to intensified fighting near Western Equatoria and Western Bahr El Ghazal state boundaries.
Gelaw emphasized the alarming state of the ceasefire, declaring, “The integrity of the ceasefire is increasingly at risk, threatening the fragile implementation of the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan (R-ARCSS).” He also indicated that there have been continuous reports of civilian casualties and displacements that have plagued the region since early January.
In response, CTSAMVM has initiated extended patrols to engage affected groups in Wau and urged the warring parties to consider the consequences of their violence. Gelaw noted that access to certain regions, including Wonduruba in Central Equatoria, posed a challenge for the monitoring teams, complicating their investigative efforts. He urged all factions to grant the necessary permissions to ensure timely reporting on conflict developments.
Tensions remain particularly high in Upper Nile State, where confrontations between the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces and armed civilians have resulted in civilian displacements. Gelaw called for restraint from both sides and highlighted the implications of the ongoing violence on the civilian populace, encouraging reflection on the cycle of aggression.
Gelaw also condemned the activities of the National Salvation Front (NAS), citing incidents where NAS forces endangered civilian lives in Equatoria. He specifically mentioned a forced recruitment attempt, resulting in the death of a young man trying to escape, as well as an attack on SSPDF barracks that led to both civilian and military casualties. He stressed that NAS is accountable for their actions according to the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement of 2017.
The situation in South Sudan remains precarious with rising violence threatening the fragile peace established post-civil war. The CTSAMVM’s concerns over the ceasefire’s stability due to ongoing clashes, civilian casualties, and challenges in monitoring underscore the urgent need for all parties to adhere to peace agreements. Continued unrest could significantly hinder stabilization efforts as the nation approaches critical elections.
Original Source: www.radiotamazuj.org
