South Sudan says verifying presence of Sudanese armed groups
March 18, 2025 (JUBA) – South Sudan said on Tuesday it was verifying reports of Sudanese armed groups present in Upper Nile state, raising concerns about regional instability.
South Sudan and Sudan signed a non-aggression pact in 2012, committing to respect each other’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. The agreement also prohibits interference in internal affairs and the use of force. It further stipulates that neither country will provide safe haven for armed or political dissidents seeking to destabilize the other.
Ongoing conflicts in both Sudan and South Sudan have allowed armed groups to operate in the porous border region.
On March 16-17, local authorities in Upper Nile state told Sudan Tribune that two armed groups clashed, leading to reports of arrests and territorial control.
The Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a Sudanese paramilitary group allied with the Sudan People’s Liberation Army-North (SPLA-N) led by Abdel Aziz Adam al-Hilu, operates in the border area connecting Blue Nile and White Nile states. At the same time, South Sudanese armed groups control the territory south of this junction into Upper Nile state.
Local authorities, residents, and observers have reported that the area straddling the Blue and White Niles has been used by non-state actors, including forces loyal to South Sudanese military dissident Simon Gatwech Dual. Factions allied with South Sudan’s First Vice President Riek Machar and Johnson Olony, an independent militia leader, have also operated in the area, often exploiting the absence of South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF) and Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) along the border.
On March 16, the RSF reportedly arrested members of the Sudan People’s Liberation Army-in-Opposition (SPLA-IO) under Machar’s command at Buoth, inside South Sudan. Buoth is located near Ulu and Renk county in South Sudan, close to Mozmum and Tibun in Sudan’s White Nile state.
The security situation in Maban adds to the instability in Blue Nile, which is part of a broader political, economic, and security crisis in Sudan. The region, stretching from Darfur in the west to Blue Nile in the east, has been affected by conflict despite previous peace agreements.
James Odhok Oyai, the governor of Upper Nile state, told Sudan Tribune that the state faces humanitarian and security challenges. He said he had directed security forces and local authorities in Renk, Baliet, and Maban to verify the reports and provide a briefing within two days.
A video clip circulating online purportedly shows RSF forces firing at a group of captured young men, believed to be ethnic Nuer from South Sudan. These men are thought to be members of the “White Army,” a militia that previously controlled Nasir town and were reportedly running low on supplies. They were allegedly heading towards the White Nile or Blue Nile in Sudan when the RSF apprehended them. The purpose of their movement remains unclear. Some reports suggest they were fleeing clashes with the SSPDF.