Bishop of Yei Condemns Violence and Fresh Clashes in Lasu

(YEI RIVER COUNTY) – The Catholic Bishop of Yei, Alex Lodiong Sakor, has condemned the recent clashes between government troops and opposition forces in Lasu Payam, calling on both sides to embrace dialogue and spare civilians further suffering.

According to Yei County Commissioner Emmanuel Taban Seme, the violence began at about 5 a.m. on Saturday when South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF) positions in Lasu and Libogo came under attack.

He accused fighters loyal to the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement in Opposition (SPLM-IO) of launching the assault.

SPLM-IO military spokesman Colonel Lam Paul Gabriel issued a statement through official social media accounts admitting that its forces clashed with the SSPDF. He claimed opposition forces had taken control of both Lasu and Libogo after the fighting.

However, Commissioner Seme insisted the two areas remain firmly under government control since Saturday.

Speaking after the clashes, Bishop Lodiong expressed his deep concern over the violence and urged all parties to seek peace through dialogue.

“We would like to say that whether that confrontation is justified or not, those who are armed must know that they caused pain to the innocent. The majority of victims are children and women. There was a family that lost all their children, who are now missing. You can imagine children scattered in the bush,” the bishop said.

He stressed that war destroys lives and livelihoods, urging leaders to solve disputes at the negotiating table.

“We have said several times that war is not good. Let us talk over our issues because all our problems can be resolved at the table. The faster we do it the better, instead of prolonging the conflict. That is my appeal to those who are armed, both in the opposition and in government: let us renounce violence and face our challenges through dialogue,” he added.

The bishop further warned that “when guns talk, they destroy, they derail development, and they cause suffering. Let the guns remain silent and let people speak through dialogue to solve issues peacefully.”

Yei River County, located in Central Equatoria State, has been among the areas most affected by the civil conflict that reignited in 2016.

In recent weeks, the county has faced repeated insecurity, including abductions, killings and ambushes along major highways.