The enclave had been seized by armed militias, sparking weeks of clashes and tensions within the unity government.
The South Sudanese Army announced on Sunday that it has regained control of the strategic city of Nasir, located near the border with Ethiopia. The city had been seized by the militia known as the White Army in early March, triggering weeks of clashes and a crisis within the unity government formed under the 2018 peace agreement.
Army spokesperson Lul Ruai Koang confirmed the military’s return in a statement published on his Facebook profile, where he described the “redemption of Nasir” as “the greatest Easter gift to the soldiers who paid the ultimate price in its defense and recapture,” although he did not provide operational details.
Sources consulted by Radio Tamazuj indicated that the army retook the city without encountering resistance, as the local militia had abandoned the area days earlier. Koang declined to comment on the alleged involvement of the Ugandan army in the offensive, stating: “I am not willing to speak on anything concerning the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF).”
Security in Upper Nile has deteriorated since mid-February due to these clashes, which intensified after the authorities sent reinforcements to the area, including members of a pro-government militia, amid fears of a potential collapse of the peace agreement.
South Sudanese President Salva Kiir signed a constitutional amendment in September last year to extend the transitional period—established under the 2018 peace deal with former rebel leader and current First Vice President Riek Machar—by another two years, a move criticized by the international community.
Despite a decrease in political conflict-related violence in recent years, the country has witnessed an increase in intercommunal clashes and has yet to fulfill several key promises from the 2018 transition agreement, including granting the population the right to vote in national elections for the first time.
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