Africa-Press – South-Sudan. The recent capture and recapture of Akobo in northern Jonglei has underscored the futility of a military approach to South Sudan’s conflict, with a group of international embassies warning that only inclusive political dialogue—not battlefield victories—can bring lasting peace.
In a joint statement issued Friday, the embassies of Canada, France, Germany, Japan, Norway, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and the United States, along with the European Union delegation, expressed “deep concern” over escalating violence in the region and its growing humanitarian toll.
The diplomats pointed to the shifting control of Akobo—first taken by government forces and later retaken by opposition fighters—as evidence that continued fighting offers no sustainable resolution. Instead, they said, the conflict is inflicting severe suffering on civilians while failing to produce meaningful political progress.
“The violence has achieved nothing but further suffering,” the statement said, noting that many lives have been lost and hundreds of thousands of people displaced in recent weeks. Critical infrastructure and basic services in affected areas have also been destroyed.
The renewed clashes in Akobo, a strategic town in Jonglei State, have drawn attention to the fragility of the security situation in northern South Sudan, where tensions between forces aligned with the government and opposition groups remain high.
The embassies stressed that “there is no military solution” to the country’s crisis, calling instead for an immediate ceasefire and inclusive dialogue involving all parties to the conflict. They emphasized that any meaningful peace process must include opposition leader and First Vice President Riek Machar.
The statement also welcomed mediation efforts by the African Union’s special envoy, former Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta, and urged South Sudanese leaders to heed calls from both regional and international actors to prioritize negotiations over continued fighting.
Beyond the political and security dimensions, the diplomats raised alarm over the worsening humanitarian situation. They warned that disruptions to aid delivery demonstrate a disregard for international humanitarian law and risk further endangering vulnerable populations.
“All parties must immediately facilitate humanitarian access,” the statement said, highlighting the urgent needs of communities in northern Jonglei who have already endured prolonged hardship.
The joint appeal reflects growing international frustration with the cycle of violence in South Sudan, where repeated clashes and shifting territorial control have yet to translate into lasting stability, reinforcing calls for a political—not military—path to peace.
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