Since his appointment as governor of Lakes state in June 2021, Rin Tueny Mabor has transformed the area from one of the most troubled in South Sudan to one of the most secure. His heavy-handed approach, however, has drawn controversy with allegations of human rights violations.
Despite many high-profile interventions, Abyei remains mired in a violent impasse. Conflict between the Ngok and Twic Dinka continues, and the territory’s political future remains in limbo.
Since the collapse of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan in August 2021, the Taliban have sought to tighten their control over arms possession among their provincial commanders, the men under them, as well as civilians, and to rein in smuggling activity. Despite these efforts, however, smuggling continues, influenced by local dynamics in the provinces and long-standing clandestine arms trafficking networks.
Almost two years after the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan, the country faces multiple overlapping crises and growing humanitarian needs. The Taliban government has attempted to monitor and control small arms at the national level, however, much of the day-to-day running of affairs is left to the local officials both for political reasons and capacity issues.
A reshuffle of Jonglei’s state government is underway, precipitated by the out-going leadership’s inability to quell chronic armed violence and raiding in the state.. While the current rainy season will prevent large-scale raiding in the coming months, attacks on humanitarian convoys and low-level raiding continue, with women and children abducted.
Upper Nile is on the precipice of renewed armed conflict. After a lull in violence in the past two months, armed groups are mobilizing for possible confrontation as Johnson Olonyi’s Agwelek forces reposition themselves near key ports on the White Nile, and SPLA-IO and Nuer White Army forces mobilize youth in northern Jonglei and southern Upper Nile.