South Sudan soldiers will be court-martialed for the killings of civilians in Jonglei

The army spokesman announced that South Sudanese soldiers, including two officers, will undergo a court martial in connection with a civilian massacre.

South Sudan’s army has declared that multiple soldiers, including two officers, will undergo a court martial due to the killing of civilians in Jonglei state last month, as violence persists in various regions of the country.

Army spokesman Lul Ruai Koang stated that the individuals who were arrested will face charges in the capital, Juba, prior to being presented before a military court. The individuals implicated consist of a major and multiple non-commissioned officers, who are alleged to have participated in the attack on February 21 in Ayod County, resulting in the deaths of at least 25 civilians, including women and children, as reported by opposition sources. Koang stated that the soldiers had departed without the awareness or approval of their division commander.

The army linked the killings to “some elements” associated with General Johnson Olony, who had previously been recorded instructing troops to “spare no lives” in Jonglei. Officials indicated that the soldiers belonged to a militia group associated with opposition forces, which had not been completely incorporated into the national army, despite the stipulations of the 2018 peace agreement that concluded the nation’s five-year civil conflict between President Salva Kiir and his adversary Riek Machar.

The incident occurs during an escalation of conflict between government and opposition forces, especially in eastern Jonglei state, where the United Nations reports that at least 280,000 individuals have been displaced since December. The military conveyed its sorrow regarding the fatalities and reiterated to its personnel that their mission was to safeguard civilians and their belongings.

Church leaders have expressed concern regarding the worsening security situation. The Sudan and South Sudan Catholic Bishops’ Conference has recently called on authorities to safeguard vulnerable communities and encourage dialogue following a new surge of violence in Abiemnom County near the Sudan border, which resulted in at least 169 fatalities.