This Week in South Sudan – Week 30

Wednesday 26 July

• The Government of South Sudan (GoSS) stated that the proposed revitalization forum by IGAD would not be a platform for renegotiation of the 2015 peace agreement.
• The Guardian on unaccompanied refugee children: “South Sudan: ‘When we came home for lunch our parents had been killed’

Thursday 27 July

• SPLA claimed control over Maiwut, Upper Nile State following clashes with the SPLA (IO). The latter denied that government forces have regained control of the town.
• Riek Machar relieved five military governors of Upper Nile State and in the Bahr el Ghazal region and re-appointed five new ones, including Johnson Ulony (Fashoda).
• Japan’s defense minister and its army chief resigned over allegations that they misled Parliament and the public over dangers faced by Japanese UNMISS soldiers in South Sudan.

Friday 28 July

• Three SPLM factions have signed the Entebbe Declaration to operationalize the Arusha Agreement on the Reunification of the SPLM. The SPLM (IO) quickly denounced the initiative.

Saturday 29 July

• Al Jazeera op-ed: “Is Uganda really a ‘refugee paradise’?

Sunday 30 July

• Reported fighting in Nyori, Central Equatoria State between two opposition groups, the SPLA (IO) loyal to Riek Machar and the National Salvation Front (NAS) led by Thomas Cirillo. Reportedly a number of SPLA (IO) troops have defected to NAS.
• According to a senior UN official, thelong-awaited Regional Protection Forces in South Sudan is expected to be deployed ‘soon’.