At least five soldiers were killed and nine others injured when rival groups of the SPLA-IO clashed in Adok Payam in Unity State’s Leer County last Friday.
The rival groups of the SPLA-IO are led by Nathaniel Oyet, the SPLM/A-IO deputy chairman who has been acting as the outfit’s chairman and commander-in-chief since the incarceration of former First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar in March 2025. However, in a sudden turn of events, SPLM-IO Secretary-General Regina Joseph Kaba was appointed as acting chairperson of the opposition group on 31 August 2026, following a high-level Political Bureau meeting.
Her appointment was subsequently endorsed by the SPLA-IO military command on 3 September 2026, leading to the group splintering between the two acting leaders. On Monday, 2 November, Dr. Riek Machar, during a court session, confirmed that Kaba is the substantive acting chairperson, throwing the group further into disarray.
James Yoach Bading, the SPLM/A-IO military commissioner of Leer County who is loyal to Oyet, told Radio Tamazuj over the weekend that the group loyal to Kaba attacked their positions. He added that they lost two soldiers and that five were wounded.
“The group of Regina Joseph Kaba are the ones who attacked our Maj. Gen. Puol Gatkoi in the Nordhiech area in Adok Payam on Friday, but we defended our position,” he said. “Two people were killed, and five others were injured from our side. The injured were taken to Leer County Hospital for treatment.”
Meanwhile, Dhoal Koryom Lingling, rival SPLM/A-IO military administrator in Leer County, confirmed the clashes.
“Fighting erupted among ourselves as SPLA-IO between former SPLM/IO acting chairman Oyet Nathaniel and the person who was given the position of acting chair of SPLM-IO, Regina Joseph,” he said. “We lost three soldiers, and four of our soldiers were injured.”
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