The United Nations announced that its peacekeeping forces carried out a large-scale evacuation of more than one hundred civilians, mostly women and children, from a village in the disputed Abyei area following the outbreak of armed clashes between groups earlier this week. Stéphane Dujarric, spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General, stated that the fighting involved members of the joint forces affiliated with the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF), prompting urgent intervention by the UN Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA) to protect civilians and provide them with a safe refuge.
Field Evacuation and Relief
As part of its rapid response, UNISFA transported the affected civilians from the village of Malual Aleu to the mission’s base in Kadia, where their essential needs—shelter, food, water, and medical care—were met. Dujarric further reported that over ninety other civilians reached the mission’s base in Rumamier, south of Abyei, where they were received and given protection. The mission has stepped up the activities of its rapid response unit, conducting additional patrols in the area to prevent any potential escalation and to ensure the safety of residents, in line with its core mandate to protect civilians in conflict zones.
Background to the Clash
Major General Lul Ruai Koang, spokesperson for the South Sudanese army, said the incident that occurred last Tuesday was not politically motivated but arose from “a misunderstanding” between two officers. He offered two versions of events: one involving a disagreement at a tea shop, and another concerning a personal dispute over a woman. According to one account, an officer from the opposition forces (SPLA-IO) shot a captain in the army, resulting in his death, which was followed by an exchange of gunfire between guards.
The clash spilled over from the market to a checkpoint and then to the military barracks, leaving 14 soldiers dead—eight from the SSPDF and six from the SPLA-IO—according to the army spokesperson. In remarks to Radio Tamazuj, local commander Lieutenant General Peter Bawa Jamus gave a similar account, noting that the confrontation began after a second lieutenant saw a senior army officer speaking to his wife, sparking tensions that escalated into armed exchanges.
Concerns Over Rising Tensions in Abyei
Jamus added that the incident led to the collapse of the joint unit stationed in the area, with more than 400 former opposition soldiers withdrawing from their positions in several villages and heading north toward Abyei. This military movement underscores the fragility of security in the region and raises fears of escalating tensions amid the absence of effective mechanisms to regulate military conduct and prevent disorder on the ground, threatening to destabilize an already volatile disputed area.
