The authorities in Jonglei State on Tuesday said they have lost all communications with Akobo County amid ongoing fighting, raising concerns about the security situation and the fate of civilians in the area.
The opposition Sudan People’s Liberation Army-in-Opposition announced on Monday that its forces had recaptured the strategic border town of Akobo in eastern Jonglei State from government troops following clashes earlier in the day.
John Wiyual Lul, the opposition-appointed commissioner of Akobo, told Radio Tamazuj that SPLA-IO fighters overran positions previously held by the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF), securing control of the town near the Ethiopian border.
Meanwhile, Jonglei State Minister of Information Nyamar Lony Thichot confirmed that authorities have been unable to obtain updates from the area due to a complete communication blackout.
“Currently, I do not have any updates yet because we have lost communication,” she stated. “There is no network currently, so we do not have any information from the Akobo County commissioner.”
The SSPDF has yet to confirm or deny the reported loss of the town. Army spokesperson Maj. Lul Ruai Koang on Tuesday said the military would not issue a statement at this time due to the “fluidity of the security situation” in Akobo and surrounding areas.
“The nation will be updated once all missing links are successfully put together,” he said, adding that he was awaiting directives from the army chief.
The renewed fighting comes amid heightened insecurity in the region. The United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) had earlier announced plans to close its temporary operating base in Akobo. However, the closure—initially scheduled for December 2025—was delayed due to worsening security conditions, according to UNMISS communications chief Francesca Mold.
With communications down and conflicting claims from both sides, the situation in Akobo remains unclear.
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