SPLM/A-IO confirms ‘tactical’ withdrawal as SSPDF claims victory in Jonglei

JUBA – The Sudan People’s Liberation Movement/Army in Opposition (SPLM/A-IO) has acknowledged pulling its fighters out of several key locations in northern Jonglei, describing the move as a tactical redeployment, a day after the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF) announced that it had recaptured key areas once controlled by the rebel group.

In a statement seen by Sudans Post on Wednesday, SPLM-IO spokesperson Pal Mai Deng claimed the withdrawals from Pajut, Yuai, Pieri, Pathai, and Motot were deliberate and part of a broader operational strategy rather than a sign of defeat.

“The morale of the Genocide Stoppage, Self-defence, and R-ARCSS Peace-keeping Operation in Northern Jonglei state is still high. The Operation is at work,” Deng stated.

He explained that Sector Three Command had repositioned its forces “to measure and know the enemy force’s military capacity and capability,” insisting the command structure remains intact and capable of continuing operations.

According to Mai, who served as the Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation under the Revitalized Peace Agreement, the redeployment is meant to assess government troop strength and adapt future engagements accordingly.

At the same time, the opposition group accused government soldiers of committing grave abuses in areas vacated by its fighters, alleging that SSPDF forces engaged in “mass killing of civilians, burning and plundering” semi-urban settlements, and claimed women had been subjected to sexual violence.

“The atrocities committed by the SSPDF in those areas are alarming. It is genocide,” he said.

The statement followed a Tuesday announcement by SSPDF Spokesman, Maj. Gen. Lul Ruai Koang, the SSPDF neutralised opposition forces in the aforementioned areas in Northern Jonglei. Lul Ruai Koang congratulated government troops for what he described as recapturing all bases previously seized by the opposition during offensives in late 2025 and early 2026.

“The leadership of SSPDF would like to wholeheartedly congratulate our gallant forces under the overall command of Chief of Defence Forces Gen. Dr Paul Nang Majok for recapturing all bases previously captured by SPLA-IO rebels,” Koang said.

He added that government troops had seized equipment abandoned by retreating fighters, including a main battle tank, and called on both armed and unarmed Lou-Nuer civilians to distance themselves from the opposition.

Koang further urged displaced residents to return to their ancestral homes and begin rebuilding their lives.

The competing claims underscore the fluid and volatile security environment in northern Jonglei, where control of towns frequently shifts between forces, and civilians often bear the brunt of the fighting. Communities in Yuai, Pieri and surrounding areas have repeatedly faced displacement, property destruction and disruptions to livelihoods.

While the SPLA-IO maintains its pullback is temporary and strategic, the SSPDF’s announcement of victory suggests the government intends to consolidate its presence in the region.

For residents caught between the two sides, however, the priority remains safety and stability as uncertainty continues to define life across Jonglei’s contested frontlines.