JUBA, Aug. 7 (Xinhua) -- South Sudan on Friday welcomed the relative calm returning to Jonglei State following deadly clashes between the South Sudan People's Defense Forces (SSPDF) and the opposition Sudan People's Liberation Army-in-Opposition (SPLA-IO) that began in March 2025.
During a briefing with President Salva Kiir in Juba, Jonglei State Governor Riek Gai Kok reported a significant improvement in the region's security, enabling local communities to safely resume their daily activities.
"The government has made significant gains in northern Jonglei, where the local population is cooperating closely with the SSPDF to maintain peace and enhance security in the region," Kok said in a statement.
Kok highlighted that collaboration between the state authorities and development partners has led to the successful construction of dykes, protecting local communities, farmland, and property from rising floodwaters.
He said the joint intervention has also prompted the return of numerous cattle herders who had previously fled to the neighboring states of Central Equatoria, Lakes, and Western Equatoria in search of safe grazing grounds.
Kok noted marked progress in relations between the communities of Jonglei State and the Greater Pibor Administrative Area, with former rivals now actively collaborating to foster peaceful coexistence.
The security crisis originated in March 2025 after the White Army militia attacked an SSPDF base in Nasir, Upper Nile State.
The subsequent clashes between the SSPDF and the SPLA-IO spilled over into Jonglei State, displacing more than 300,000 residents and forcing nearly 100,000 others to flee across the border into Ethiopia.
