Aerial view of deserted Nasir town following the 2013 conflict, October 6, 2020 - Photo credit: David Nyang

A member of the Reconstituted National Legislative Assembly said clashes erupted in Nasir County of Upper Nile State between the SSPDF and armed civilians.

Gatwech Lam Puoch raised the concern at a sitting in the national parliament on 3 July 2024.

Lam alleges that unspecified number of casualties were recorded.

He appealed to the security leadership in the country to intervene and contain the situation, citing that it is not the first time such an incident occur in the area.

“The point of Information that I want to bring into this August House, is that this morning at 8am fighting erupted between the SSPDF and Civilians in Nasir,” Puoch said.

“There are casualties and now the situation is still very tense. This is the second time for fighting to erupt between the SSPDF and the civilians.”

“I think the relationship between the SSPDF and the community is deteriorating and we appeal to the security sector to take it serious to maintain peace in Nasir County because this SSPDF forces have been there for 9 or 10 years now.”

When contacted by Eye Radio, Army spokesperson Major General Lul Ruai, confirmed that there was a brief confrontation between the SSPDF and the white army in Nasir area on Wednesday.

According to Lul, the clashes erupted when an SSPDF solider was shot dead while trying to get sand from the river.

General Lul added that no other casualties were reported from the SSPDF side.

“It was on the 3rd July 2024, we had a soldier who went to collect sand from the river. He wanted the sand to level his house that was getting submerge with water. As he was trying to collect some sand, he was shot from across the river by some rebel elements from the white army.”

Lul said the identity of the perpetrators is not established, and this led to brief clashes “between our forces and the white army.”

“We lost one. He was not killed in fighting he was killed in cold blood. We have not sustained any but we do not know about the civilians, whether they took any casualties.”