Civilians in Akobo County, Jonglei State, have begun fleeing across the border into Ethiopia after a 72-hour ultimatum by the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF) ordering civilians and humanitarian organizations to leave the area expired on Monday.
The order, issued on Friday ahead of planned military operations, triggered panic among residents of Akobo town, local officials said.
John Wiyual Lul, the SPLM-IO-appointed commissioner of Akobo County, told Radio Tamazuj that many residents had already crossed into neighboring Ethiopia, fearing a possible offensive by government forces.
“Citizens are fleeing to Ethiopia because of the order issued by the SSPDF for civilians to leave Akobo town,” he said. “Most of the residents have now vacated the area.”
Lul said humanitarian organizations that had been assisting displaced people and residents in Akobo had already withdrawn to Ethiopia.
However, he said troops from the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) were still present at their temporary base in Akobo, despite the army’s order for the mission to close the facility and leave.
Asked about the possibility of an imminent attack, Lul said government forces had moved close to the town.
“Yesterday they entered an area about an hour’s walk from the town and clashed with SPLA-IO reconnaissance forces, but they have not yet crossed the river,” he said.
He added that opposition forces were fighting in self-defense and called for dialogue to prevent further escalation.
“If citizens are running because of war in Jonglei and parts of Equatoria, there will not be elections,” he said. “People and political parties should sit down and have dialogue so that peace can prevail in the country.”
Lul noted that women and children were particularly fearful of a possible assault on the town, highlighting that many displaced people in Akobo had previously fled violence in Uror, Nyirol, and Walgak. He also said shelling by government forces could be heard from the town on Monday afternoon.
Aid Concerns
The Humanitarian Country Team in South Sudan said Monday it was “deeply concerned” by the order to evacuate Akobo ahead of military operations.
Akobo County is currently hosting an estimated 270,000 people, including displaced and host communities who rely on humanitarian assistance for survival, more than half of them women and children.
“Any military action in or around such a densely populated area would expose civilians to grave danger and risk triggering a catastrophic humanitarian crisis,” the group said in a statement.
It added that cross-border movements into Ethiopia had already been reported, along with looting in Akobo town.
The humanitarian group called on all parties to respect international humanitarian law and ensure the protection of civilians, humanitarian workers, and infrastructure.
Rights Fears
Civil society groups also raised alarm over the situation.
Edmund Yakani, executive director of the Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO), told Radio Tamazuj that the SSPDF directive ordering UNMISS and aid agencies to leave Akobo was “disturbing” and threatened civilian protection.
“The UNMISS base in Akobo was established under its mandate in accordance with Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter to protect civilians and support peace,” Yakani said.
“It would be a shame for the international community if UNMISS left Akobo and the civilian population was exposed to grave human rights violations.”
Yakani urged all parties to respect a recent declaration by the AU C5 on South Sudan’s transitional process and to avoid further military confrontation.
He said civilians in Akobo had been calling civil society groups, expressing fear of a possible military offensive and appealing for an immediate ceasefire.
“Military solutions to political crises are a danger to the protection of civilians,” Yakani said. “The parties should embrace dialogue and the protection of civilians.”