By Sabri Dibaco
The spokesperson of the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF), General Lul Ruai Koang, has broken his silence over the Akobo clashes, despite being cautious in his remarks.
Reports of clashes between the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF) and the Sudan People’s Liberation Army in Opposition (SPLA-IO) in Akobo town, Jonglei State, continue to surface on social media.
While the SPLA-IO has alleged the capture of Akobo town, the SSPDF is yet to officially respond to these allegations.
Lul released a statement to the media yesterday, citing that he was not yet ready to update the media regarding the engagement between the SSPDF and SPLA-IO in Akobo.
He noted that there would be no official press statement at the moment due to the rapidly changing security situation in Akobo and its surrounding areas.
The spokesperson added that the situation on the ground remains fluid, making it difficult to provide accurate and comprehensive information to the public at this time.
“Due to the fluidity of the security situation in Akobo and surrounding areas, the Office of the SSPDF Spokesperson, as of now, would not release a press statement on Yesterday’s [Tuesday] military engagements.
The nation will be updated once all missing links are successfully put together,” the statement partly read.
He assured the nation that efforts are ongoing to gather all necessary details and verify information before any formal update is released.
The SSPDF called for patience and calm among citizens as security forces continue to monitor and assess developments in the affected areas.
Akobo County in Jonglei State has, in recent times, experienced intermittent insecurity, prompting heightened attention from both government and humanitarian actors.
Authorities have reiterated their commitment to ensuring stability and keeping the public informed as soon as credible information becomes available.