South Sudan has launched a military offensive targeting the White Army, a Nuer ethnic militia, following weeks of clashes in Upper Nile State, officials said on Monday.
Information Minister Michael Makuei Lueth said the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF), backed by the country’s air force and recently redeployed Ugandan troops, carried out airstrikes on areas controlled by the White Army in Nasir County.
The White Army, long associated with the opposition Sudan People’s Liberation Movement/Army-In Opposition (SPLM/A-IO), played a significant role during South Sudan’s civil war, which broke out in 2013. The group has reportedly rebranded itself as the “Naath Defense Force” and issued threats targeting ethnic Dinka communities in Nuer-majority areas, according to Lueth.
“At this stage, it is evident they have declared war on the transitional government,” Lueth told reporters in Juba. “They are circulating messages warning Dinka citizens to leave Nuer counties.”
Tensions have surged in recent weeks, as the militia has been locked in a series of confrontations with government troops since mid-February. The Ugandan People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) were recently redeployed to assist in stabilizing the region, amid growing concerns of renewed ethnic violence.
Lueth also addressed mounting international pressure following the detention of senior SPLM/A-IO officials, stating they would not be released until a full investigation is concluded. The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) has urged South Sudan’s transitional government to free the detainees as part of efforts to preserve peace and political dialogue.
The renewed fighting and political tensions threaten to derail the fragile peace process in South Sudan, which is preparing for its first elections since gaining independence in 2011.
