South Sudan’s army says it has captured the strategic town of Tonga in Upper Nile state from opposition SPLA-IO forces following several days of fighting, the latest in a series of clashes between rival factions.

The South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF) said it regained control of Tonga, the headquarters of Panyikang County, which has been a flashpoint despite the 2018 peace agreement. Local sources reported that the SSPDF used a barge and conducted airstrikes during the offensive, while commanders from the White Army militia cited a shortage of ammunition as a reason for their withdrawal.

Gen. Kong Thou, SSPDF’s deputy chief of defense forces for operations, visited Tonga on Tuesday to inspect the area and urged residents who had fled to return. “We want the citizens to come back, but without guns,” he said. “We have not started collecting weapons yet, but if you’re returning, please leave your gun somewhere.”

Maj. Gen. Michael Majok, commander of SSPDF Division Two, welcomed the recapture and congratulated residents of Panyikang County. “This is your army controlling the area. The forces have been working tirelessly to ensure your safety,” he said.

Panyikang field commander Maj. Gen. Paromi Angui said the military plans to reopen key river and land transport routes, including roads leading to El Liri in Sudan’s South Kordofan and the capital, Juba. “From today onward, the routes will open. We’re here to secure the area and ensure access to transportation,” he said.

The SPLA-IO could not immediately be reached for comment. However, SPLA-IO spokesman Col. Lam Paul Gabriel claimed in a statement Tuesday evening that its 7th Infantry Division had successfully repelled a joint SSPDF and Agwelek militia offensive over the weekend, inflicting heavy losses on government forces.

The two sides are signatories to the 2018 Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan (R-ARCSS), which sought to end a five-year civil war that killed an estimated 400,000 people. Key provisions—including the unification of forces, drafting a permanent constitution, and holding national elections—remain largely unimplemented.

The fragile agreement was signed by President Salva Kiir, First Vice President and SPLM-IO leader Riek Machar—currently in detention—and other political leaders. The United Nations has warned that South Sudan risks sliding back into widespread conflict, while the United States and other Western embassies have repeatedly urged Kiir’s administration to de-escalate tensions.