Two opposition groups in South Sudan — the National Salvation Front (NAS) and the Sudan People’s Liberation Army-in-Opposition (SPLA-IO) — claimed Wednesday to have captured a key government garrison in Western Equatoria, raising new doubts about the viability of the country’s 2018 peace deal.
The joint forces said they overran the Kadi’ba garrison in Mundri East County at dawn, killing at least 13 soldiers and seizing weapons. Videos shared online appeared to show fighters celebrating near a captured armored vehicle.
Government officials confirmed fighting occurred but disputed the details. “The situation remains unstable, and we will release accurate figures after investigations,” said Mundri East County Commissioner John Henry Ngalamu.
The SSPDF has not issued a statement, though Western Equatoria’s police commissioner urged the army to investigate.
The NAS–SPLA-IO alliance was recently announced after both groups accused the government of failing to implement the revitalized peace agreement, which ended South Sudan’s brutal civil war in 2018.
The SPLA-IO is formally under the leadership of First Vice President Riek Machar, though his detention in Juba has shifted operational control to acting chairman Oyet Nathaniel. NAS, led by Gen. Thomas Cirillo, refused to sign the peace deal.
The development underscores the deepening cracks in South Sudan’s fragile peace process. It comes as Machar and seven others face trial in Juba, further complicating political reconciliation ahead of the country’s planned 2026 elections.
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