BREAKING | Heavy artillery shelling hits opposition positions near Bentiu

BENTIU – Heavy artillery shelling struck opposition-held positions west of Rubkona near the Unity State capital Bentiu early Sunday, residents and security sources said, marking a sharp escalation in fighting in the oil-producing northern region.

The bombardment targeted areas of Tong and Pakur, both located west of Rubkona town, according to multiple local residents who said the sound of artillery fire was heard from several neighborhoods in Rubkona, including Shilak.

“We woke up to loud explosions coming from the direction of Tong,” said a resident of Shilak, who asked not to be named for security reasons. “The shelling was heavy, and people were afraid to move outside.”

Another resident said the firing continued for hours. “You could clearly hear the artillery from Bentiu,” he said. “When it intensified, many families stayed indoors because they feared the fighting would spread.”

Bentiu serves as the capital of Unity State and lies within Rubkona County, with the county headquarters located across the Naam (Bahr el Ghazal) River north of the city.

Residents and security sources said shelling directed toward Tong appeared to originate from Bentiu, while artillery fire targeting Pakur was launched from the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces’ (SSPDF) 4^th Infantry Division headquarters in Baar, in Rubkona.

The shelling followed a day of clashes near the Sudanese border that resumed at dawn on Sunday, according to local sources. Security sources said the fighting began with limited encounters between reconnaissance units west of Rubkona before escalating into sustained artillery fire.

The South Sudan People’s Defence Forces did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

A senior opposition officer from the main armed opposition Sudan People’s Liberation Army in Opposition, the armed group active in the area, confirmed that shelling was still ongoing as of 9:30, but said details were still being gathered.

“It is true,” said Major Kerbino Yai Pazale, the SPLA-IO spokesperson for Sector Two. “I will give you more information when I settle,” he said.

The latest escalation comes amid rising tensions in parts of Unity State following clashes yesterday between government forces and opposition fighters near the Sudanese border. That fighting resumed today.

Large-scale resumption of fighting in Unity State risks triggering displacement if fighting spreads closer to civilian areas, a scenario that would be particularly dangerous as large parts of Bentiu and Rubkona remain submerged by floodwaters.

Much of the population is confined to dyked areas, and any mass displacement under current conditions would likely be catastrophic.

South Sudan emerged from a five-year civil war in 2018 after a peace agreement between President Salva Kiir and his rival Riek Machar, but sporadic fighting has persisted in several regions, fueling concerns about a wider return to conflict.