South Sudan's defense chief visited Nasir Monday after government forces took back the town from White Army fighters. General Paul Nang Majok praised troops for winning a major battle since the 2018 peace deal. He traveled with field commander Kong Thou and disarmament chief Johnson Olony to address soldiers about their success. The president sent greetings through Majok, who monitored their advance.
The military wants local people to return seized weapons, artillery, and vehicles. They asked opposition forces to hand over arms and report to training camps under peace arrangements. The March 4 attack on Nasir became a national crisis when militia fighters killed several soldiers at the army base. President Salva Kiir later placed First Vice President Riek Machar under house arrest, claiming his forces helped the attackers. Regional leaders criticized this move as breaking the peace agreement.
Fighting across several states has killed about 200 people and forced more than 125,000 from their homes since March. Human rights groups accused the army of using fire weapons in civilian areas, killing nearly 60 people last month. Peace mediators from neighboring countries met with Kiir to find solutions. Both African Union and United Nations officials warned that recent actions might undo years of progress toward peace.
The military wants local people to return seized weapons, artillery, and vehicles. They asked opposition forces to hand over arms and report to training camps under peace arrangements. The March 4 attack on Nasir became a national crisis when militia fighters killed several soldiers at the army base. President Salva Kiir later placed First Vice President Riek Machar under house arrest, claiming his forces helped the attackers. Regional leaders criticized this move as breaking the peace agreement.
Fighting across several states has killed about 200 people and forced more than 125,000 from their homes since March. Human rights groups accused the army of using fire weapons in civilian areas, killing nearly 60 people last month. Peace mediators from neighboring countries met with Kiir to find solutions. Both African Union and United Nations officials warned that recent actions might undo years of progress toward peace.
