South Sudan army seizes rebel stronghold in Jonglei
The South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF) said on Tuesday that it has recaptured another rebel-held territory in Jonglei State, amid heightened tensions following opposition threats to advance on the capital.
SSPDF spokesperson Lul Ruai Koang reported that five opposition fighters from the Sudan People’s Liberation Army-in-Opposition (SPLA-IO) were killed and a cache of weapons seized before government forces took control of Motot, a town in Jonglei.
“During the battle for control of Motot, five rebels were neutralised. Four RPG-7 rocket-propelled grenade launchers, a large cache of ammunition, two 60-mm mortars, one G3 rifle, and several shells were seized,” Koang said in a statement issued in Juba, the capital.
He added that the army chief recently visited Yuai and Motot, both recently recaptured from rebel forces, to boost soldiers’ morale and to monitor ongoing operations in the region.
Renewed fighting and airstrikes since 29 December 2025 have displaced an estimated 260,000 people across Jonglei, according to the South Sudan Relief and Rehabilitation Commission.
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reported last week that families fleeing the violence are sheltering in the open under trees or makeshift structures, with minimal access to food, healthcare or protection, and are largely reliant on already overstretched host communities.
Xinhua