What you need to know about Akobo

2026-03-12 - 15:18

AKOBO, Jonglei (Eye Radio) – The Pibor and Geni rivers turn the strategic town of Akobo into a logistical nightmare for military forces, as its island-like geography and impassable swamps effectively cut the area off from the rest of the country. Akobo is effectively an island, trapped in a geographic embrace by two formidable water bodies that dictate who moves, who stays, and who survives. To the east flows the Pibor River, and to the west lies the Geni River, a vast, swampy expanse that turns the ground into a graveyard for heavy machinery. In Akobo, vehicle mobility is not just difficult; it is often impossible. The town’s status as a “water-locked” hub means that military control is not about occupying roads, but about commanding the riverbanks. Local sources indicate that while the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF) currently hold the center, maintaining that control is a logistical nightmare. “Akobo is not like other towns where you can just drive in reinforcements,” says a local source familiar with the terrain. “It is flanked by water on both sides. If you don’t control the river crossings, you don’t truly control Akobo.” The town the SSPDF entered this week was a ghost of its former self. Following a 72-hour ultimatum issued on March 6, the population vanished. Thousands of civilians fled across the Pibor River into Ethiopia, leaving behind empty tukuls and a vacuum of authority. While the military has successfully entered the town center, the destruction of essential services—specifically the solar-powered water system—leaves a “hollow victory” in its wake. Speaking on the successful advance into the deserted town, SSPDF Spokesperson Maj. Gen. Lul Ruai Koang confirmed that the military now maintains a presence, though the focus must shift to stability. “Our forces have successfully taken control of Akobo town. We have now established our presence and are directing all humanitarian agencies to resume their operations immediately, as the area is safe for aid delivery.” — Maj. Gen. Lul Ruai Koang Despite this assurance of safety, the reality for those watching from across the Ethiopian border remains grim. With the water infrastructure dismantled by looters, the town lacks the basic resources required to sustain a returning population. As families watch from the Ethiopian banks of the Pibor River, the question is no longer who “controls” the town, but whether the town can ever be made livable again. The town is already deserted, with no population remaining to utilize the very services the military now guards. This vacuum provided the perfect cover for the looting that followed the takeover. The most visible scar of this transition is the destroyed water infrastructure. Footage has emerged showing an unknown group of people dismantling solar panels from the main water pumping station—the town’s only source of clean water. One resident, who witnessed the looting and spoke in the Nuer language, expressed the community’s collective heartbreak in a testimony translated into English: “I wonder where the residents of Akobo will get clean water from now. All the equipment, including the solar panels, has been dismantled. It is sad to see the owners of this town destroying their own resources.” For the SSPDF, capturing Akobo may have been the easy part. The difficult terrain—the rivers and the impassable swamps—means that holding the town against potential counter-offensives or insurgent activity will be a grueling task. While the reinstalled government commissioner, James Kueth Makuach, has urged the displaced to return, the reality on the ground is grim. Without water, and with the town’s strategic isolation making food deliveries difficult, the “island” of Akobo remains a precarious prize. As families watch from the Ethiopian banks of the Pibor River, the question is no longer who “controls” the town, but whether the town can ever be made livable again.