Nyirol Commissioner condemns SSPDF evacuation order, accuses army of targeting civilians

BOR – The Commissioner of Nyirol County, Peter Gatkuoth Koang Dhuor, has issued a strong response to an evacuation order announced by the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF), accusing government forces of unlawfully targeting civilians and using banned weapons during recent military operations.

In a formal letter addressed to Lul Ruai Koang, the SSPDF spokesperson, the commissioner rejected claims that civilians should evacuate areas under the control of the SPLA-IO, warning that such directives risk legitimising attacks on innocent populations.

The letter, dated 30 December 2025, followed an SSPDF statement calling on civilians to leave areas where opposition forces are believed to be stationed. While acknowledging the presence of SPLA-IO military barracks in Nyirol County, the commissioner stressed that civilians must not be treated as military targets.

Gatkuoth specifically cited the 29 December 2025 aerial bombardment of Lankien Town, alleging that SSPDF forces used cluster munitions in a densely populated civilian area. According to the commissioner, at least 12 civilians were killed in the attack, including women, children, elderly men, and a person with a disability.

“The use of globally banned cluster munitions, which are indiscriminate and pose long-term dangers to civilians, constitutes a grave violation of international law and basic human rights,” the letter stated.

The commissioner further alleged that the civilians were targeted based on their ethnicity, describing the incident as a “disturbing display of lawlessness and unprofessional conduct.”

The response accused the SSPDF leadership of undermining its own legitimacy, arguing that a lawful government must protect civilians, promote unity, and uphold international humanitarian standards.

“A legitimate government does not bomb its own people,” he emphasised. Gatkuoth called on the SSPDF command to immediately halt attacks on civilian areas and to confine military operations strictly to opposition barracks, warning that continued violence would only deepen suffering and instability in the region.

The situation in Nyirol County remains tense amid ongoing clashes between government forces and SPLA-IO, with local leaders and civilians increasingly calling for restraint, accountability, and the protection of non-combatants.