Fighting breaks out between rival SPLA-IO factions in northern Unity

BENTIU – Fighting erupted early Sunday between rival factions of South Sudan’s main armed opposition in northern Unity State after forces loyal to Regina Joseph Kaba pursued troops aligned with Oyet Nathaniel Pierino from Buoytong to Kaljak in Rubkona County, leaving at least three fighters reportedly wounded and six captured, according to military and local sources.

The clashes began at around 4:40 a.m. in Kaljak, west of Rubkona town, the county headquarters, where troops belonging to Brigade 20 of the Sudan People’s Liberation Army in Opposition (SPLA-IO) Division 4A are stationed under Brig. Gen. Turuk Bol Chiek.

The attacking forces were reportedly led by Brig. Gen. Puok Tuor Jam, an officer aligned with Kaba’s faction who was acting under orders from Gen. Dhiling Keah Chuol, a senior military commander in the rival opposition camp.

Sources familiar with the confrontation said Maj. Gen. John Turuk Khor, the military governor of Unity State appointed by Oyet, and Maj. Gen. Moses Ruai Khor, the commander of SPLA-IO Division 4A, had withdrawn with their forces from Buoytong to Kaljak on Friday in an apparent attempt to avoid fighting with rival opposition troops.

However, Kaba-aligned forces reportedly followed them to Kaljak and launched an attack on Sunday morning, triggering an exchange of gunfire with troops under Brig. Gen. Turuk Bol Chiek.

A source familiar with the fighting said the attacking commander, Puok, was shot twice during the confrontation and subsequently captured alive alongside five other soldiers.

“Brig. Gen. Puok Tuor Jam, who was ordered by Dhiling Keak to lead the attack on SPLA-IO, has unfortunately been shot twice and was captured alive with five others in Kaljak,” the source said.

Two other soldiers were also reported wounded, although their identities and factional affiliation were not immediately established.

The fighting reportedly began shortly before 5 a.m., but accounts differed over its duration, with one source suggesting it lasted approximately 30 minutes and another indicating that it continued for up to two hours.

The full extent of casualties remained unclear, and Sudans Post could not independently verify the condition of the captured commander or the identities of the five other fighters.

The attack followed an apparent attempt by the Oyet-aligned military leadership to avoid confrontation in Buoytong by relocating their forces to Kaljak, where the SPLA-IO has maintained a military presence for years.

John Turuk, who previously commanded Division 4A, was appointed military governor of Unity State by Oyet in September, replacing Dhoal Koryom Lingling, whose position continues to be recognised by Kaba’s faction.

Following Turuk’s appointment, Maj. Gen. Moses Ruai Khor assumed command of Division 4A, while Brig. Gen. Turuk Bol Chiek remained in charge of Brigade 20, which maintains positions around Kaljak.

Michael Banychieng Puok, a member of the Revitalized Transitional National Legislative Assembly (R-TNLA) representing one of Rubkona County’s constituencies, expressed concern about the fighting and appealed to the rival factions to avoid further violence.

The lawmaker, who is politically aligned with the SPLM-IO faction led by Stephen Par Kuol, said the clashes threatened communities already suffering from years of severe flooding.

“This morning, I have been informed that forces loyal to Regina Kaba’s faction have attacked forces under Gen. Turuk Khor of Oyet’s faction,” the legislator said.

“These factions are present in Rubkona County villages of Buoytong, Tharkaan and Kaljak. These villages are highlands populated with our poor citizens stranded by flooding. It’s very unfortunate that that has happened.”

The lawmaker called on the opposing military commands to resolve their differences peacefully, warning that continued hostilities could worsen conditions for civilians.

“I call upon the command of both factions to find grounds for understanding so that our innocent civilians don’t suffer,” the lawmaker added.

Buoytong, located west of Rubkona town, and the neighbouring villages of Tharkaan and Kaljak are among the areas where displaced families have sought shelter on elevated ground following recurrent flooding that submerged homes, farmland and grazing areas across Rubkona County.

Kaljak has previously been the scene of heavy fighting between the SPLA-IO and the government-affiliated South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF), with control of the area changing hands during military operations earlier this year.

In January, government troops launched an offensive against opposition positions west of Rubkona, including Kaljak, during a broader escalation that also affected Pakur and the Bentiu displacement camp.

The SSPDF temporarily captured Kaljak during the offensive, forcing opposition troops to withdraw. However, government forces later pulled back towards Rubkona and Bentiu, allowing SPLA-IO fighters to return and re-establish their positions in the area.

Sudans Post previously documented the fighting and changing military control in northern Unity through battlefield reporting and geolocation analysis.

The latest confrontation marks a shift in the conflict around Kaljak, with Sunday’s fighting involving rival factions of the SPLA-IO rather than a confrontation between opposition forces and the government army.

The movement has been divided by a leadership dispute between Oyet and Kaba, both of whom claim authority over the opposition organisation in the absence of its detained chairman, Riek Machar.

The dispute escalated in August when Oyet, who had been serving as acting chairman, suspended Kaba and several senior officials, accusing them of undermining the movement’s leadership structures.

Kaba rejected the decision and issued a counter-order suspending Oyet, with both sides subsequently claiming legitimacy over the opposition’s political and military institutions.

The division spread to Unity State in September when Oyet appointed John Turuk as military governor, while Kaba’s camp continued to recognise Dhoal, effectively creating rival opposition military administrations in the state.

Earlier this month, forces loyal to the two factions clashed in Leer County in southern Unity State, including around Rupkong, Bow and Adok Port, leaving several fighters dead and wounded.

The clashes included an offensive by Oyet-aligned troops that resulted in their capture of Adok Port from forces loyal to Kaba.

On October 15, Oyet announced a general amnesty for officers and fighters who had broken ranks with his leadership, urging them to return to the movement’s military command structures.

However, Sunday’s confrontation in northern Unity indicates that the rivalry has continued despite those appeals.

Unity State, one of South Sudan’s main oil-producing regions, has suffered years of armed conflict, political instability and severe flooding, leaving large numbers of civilians displaced and dependent on humanitarian assistance.