The South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF) has deployed troops into Akobo town in Jonglei State, establishing full military control over the strategic border area that had been a key stronghold of the Sudan People’s Liberation Army-in-Opposition (SPLA-IO) since the civil war began in December 2013.

On Sunday, March 15, 2026, government forces entered Akobo with vehicles and military equipment, began patrolling the town, and met with officials from the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) to discuss security cooperation.

Videos circulated on social media, showed SSPDF troops present in the town.

This deployment follows earlier SSPDF announcements on March 10–11, 2026, claiming recapture of Akobo after clashes, though forces had initially remained positioned in nearby Dec-Deng (west of the town across the river) until the full entry.

Akobo, near the Ethiopian border, was the last major SPLA-IO-held position in the Lou Nuer areas after government troops seized bases in Nyirol and Uror counties earlier in 2026.

Multiple sources reported that residents fled to neighboring Ethiopia amid the advance.

The town was largely deserted upon SSPDF arrival.

James Kueth Makuach, the government-appointed Akobo County Commissioner (reinstated following the offensive), urged civilians to return and maintain normalcy.

He instructed those carrying firearms to keep them at home and move freely as civilians, warning: “Anyone who defies this order will be held individually accountable as we work to normalise the situation.”

He appealed to displaced residents—including chiefs, local officials, women, teachers, traders, faith-based groups, and humanitarian organizations—to voluntarily return to the town.

From the Ethiopian side in Akobo-Tiergol, SPLM-IO-appointed commissioner John Wiyual Lul addressed Lou Nuer community members during Sunday prayers at the United Church.

He urged peace, unity, and vigilance for those displaced in temporary locations.

No specific casualties were reported in the latest deployment phase, though earlier fighting phases involved losses on both sides.

The SSPDF’s control of Akobo marks a significant shift in Jonglei’s military landscape, potentially weakening SPLA-IO positions in the region and raising concerns over civilian safety, humanitarian access, and the 2018 Revitalized Peace Agreement amid ongoing tensions, opposition trials, and stalled transitional processes.