South Sudan Army Reclaims Strategic Town Amid Rising Political Tensions

 Juba, April 22 — South Sudan’s national army announced it has regained control of Nasir, a strategic town in Upper Nile state that had fallen in March to a militia group associated with the ethnic Nuer community. The recapture comes amid growing political instability following the house arrest of First Vice President Riek Machar, deepening concerns over a potential relapse into civil conflict.

The town’s seizure in March by the so-called White Army militia triggered a serious escalation, culminating in the detainment of Machar, who has been accused by the government of backing the militia in an attempt to incite rebellion. The White Army, traditionally aligned with the Nuer ethnic group, played a significant role in the country’s previous civil war. Machar's party, the Sudan People's Liberation Movement-in-Opposition (SPLM-IO), has denied any affiliation with the militia.

Military spokesperson Lul Ruai Koang stated that the operation to retake Nasir was completed on Sunday without direct confrontation. He added that a planned ambush near the village of Thuluc was thwarted thanks to timely air reconnaissance and support. “They were spotted regrouping and were neutralized by air fire, leading to their dispersion,” Koang said.

White Army spokesperson Honson Chuol James downplayed the setback, characterizing it as a “tactical withdrawal,” but acknowledged that 17 individuals were killed in bombardments near Thuluc.

The crisis has drawn regional attention, with Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni visiting President Salva Kiir earlier this month. Uganda subsequently deployed troops to reinforce security in Juba, the South Sudanese capital. According to Ugandan military chief General Muhoozi Kainerugaba—who is also Museveni’s son—Ugandan forces have since killed approximately 1,500 White Army fighters, citing the group’s continued threat to regional peace.

The political ramifications of Machar’s detention have also unsettled the fragile power-sharing arrangement formed under the 2018 peace accord that ended a five-year civil war. That conflict, fought primarily between supporters of Kiir and Machar, left hundreds of thousands dead and displaced millions.

This month, fractures within the SPLM-IO have begun to emerge. A breakaway faction of the party announced the temporary removal of Machar from his leadership post, although the movement’s armed wing has publicly reaffirmed its loyalty to the detained vice president.

The recent military developments and political rifts underscore the volatility of South Sudan’s post-conflict transition, raising fresh alarm among international observers about the risk of renewed ethnic violence and a return to large-scale war.