The Commissioner of Nasir County in Upper Nile State, Hon. Changkuoth Ruon Jal, has issued a second evacuation order directing civilians and humanitarian organizations in the Mandeng and Torkech areas to relocate immediately ahead of an anticipated military operation by government forces.

The directive, issued on Sunday (March 16, 2026), requires affected residents and both international and national NGOs to move to the eastern bank of the Sobat River for safety.

It follows an initial evacuation notice issued on March 1, 2026, which was set to expire on March 17.

In an interview with Eye Radio on Monday evening, Commissioner Jal explained that the order stems from security concerns linked to the continued presence of a group he referred to as “Gat-luak” in Mandeng—described as associated with the former commissioner.

Local authorities and the county security committee had engaged the community, urging the group to leave and reside in their own area, but they refused.

“This is not the first order; it is the second one. I wrote the first order on March 1 and it was to end on the 17th of this month,” Jal said.

“We talked to the community of Mandeng and asked Gat-luak to leave the area so they can live in their own place, but they refused. That is why I ordered the NGOs and the community to distance themselves so they know what is going on and what is going to take place.”

No specific timeline for the planned military operation was provided, and the commissioner did not elaborate on further details of the impending action or its objectives.

The evacuation comes amid heightened military tensions in parts of Upper Nile and neighboring Jonglei states, where recent clashes between SSPDF government forces and opposition groups (including SPLA-IO-linked elements) have prompted similar displacement warnings, large-scale civilian flights—particularly toward Ethiopia—and humanitarian withdrawals in areas like Akobo.

This development underscores ongoing instability in the region, with risks to civilian safety and aid access as operations continue.