This Week in South Sudan – Week 48

Monday 23 November

• United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon wants 1,100 additional peacekeepers to be deployed to South Sudan.
• A surge in violent armed robberies against aid workers in South Sudan over the last month is jeopardizing humanitarian agencies ability to provide assistance.
• At least three people were killed and two others wounded in a revenge attack in Rumbek town, Lakes state.
• A MP from Akobo claims that at least 25 civilian Anyuaks were killed in Akobo county, Jonglei state.
• Explaining South Sudan’s peace deal:
  • Part 26: Constitution-making and federalism
  • Part 27: What is the Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission?
  • Part 28: What if there is a conflict between the law and the peace deal? 

Tuesday 24 November

• As stipulated by the August peace agreement, SPLA began withdrawing troops from Juba to 25 kilometres outside the city, and are barracked.
• The 23 November IGAD regional peace summit in Juba is postponed indefinitely, according to a government official.
• In a joint statement, the Troika countries (the USA, the UK and Norway) says that delays put the peace process in jeopardy and urge South Sudan’s leaders to form a transitional government “now” in accordance with the August peace deal’s timeline.
• A new rebel faction in Western Equatoria state, the South Sudan People’s Patriotic Front (SSPPF), has been formed and demands the removal of President Salva Kiir and his government.

Wednesday 25 November

• The SPLM/A (IO) accused government forces of carrying out air raids on their cantonment area in Mundri county, Western Equatoria state. Two SPLA (IO) military commanders were confirmed killed in the attacks.

Thursday 26 November

• The SPLM (IO) called on IGAD and the international community in general to pressure President Salva Kiir to reverse the decision to create 28 states in South Sudan.

Friday 27 November

• The Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (JMEC) held its inaugural meeting in Juba, despite SPLM (IO) absence. The next JMEC meeting is scheduled in December.
• A four-year-old girl and an Ethiopian peacekeeper were killed and three others injured during shelling and small arms fire in Abyei town, a disputed area between Sudan and South Sudan.

Saturday 28 November

• Major General Peter Gatdet Yak, a top rebel defector, has asked President Salva Kiir for a deal to facilitate his return to Juba.

Sunday 29 November

• The SPLM (IO) is preparing to return to Juba and may be sending an advance team of 550 people as soon as Tuesday, 1 December.
• The Agwelek forces, under the command of rebel general Johnson Olony, accused the government of attacking them on the Nile’s west bank in Upper Nile state.
• The Tiger Faction New Forces (TFNF), said government forces attacked their base, north of Malakal, Upper Nile state, using two helicopter gunships, further claiming that one of the gunships was shot down in self-defence.