SSPDF urges aid agencies to return to Akobo, citing improved security

2026-03-20 - 18:45

The South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF) has called on humanitarian organizations to resume operations in Akobo, saying security conditions in the area have significantly improved. In a press statement shared Friday on its official Facebook page, the army said it had “re-established firm control in Akobo and the surrounding areas” following intensified stabilization operations and engagement with local community leaders. “The conducive environment already in place” should encourage aid agencies to “reconsider returning to Akobo at the earliest time possible,” SSPDF spokesperson Maj. Gen. Lul Ruai Koang said in the statement. According to the military, the improved security situation comes alongside broader efforts to strengthen peace and stability in the region. The statement noted that these efforts have been “closely followed by intensification of peaceful and fruitful engagements with community leaders.” SSPDF also appealed directly to civilians displaced by previous insecurity, urging them to return home ahead of the rainy season. “All civilians are, once again, requested to return home in order to rebuild their lives,” the statement said. The army chief, Gen. Paul Nang Majok, was quoted as renewing calls for humanitarian groups to come back, emphasizing the urgency of restoring services in the area. “Humanitarian organizations [are urged] to reconsider returning to Akobo at the earliest time possible,” the statement said. The SSPDF further commended its forces deployed in Akobo, praising their “discipline and high morale” in maintaining stability. Akobo, located in Jonglei State, has experienced intermittent insecurity in recent years, leading to the withdrawal of several aid agencies and displacement of civilians.