Ying: Press Release

March - 01 - 2025

On February 28, 2025, the SSPDF (South Sudan People's Defense Forces) along with its allies militia, Agwellek (Shilluk militia) and Abu-Shok (Dinka militia) launched a dual-pronged attack on our territory, utilizing both aerial and riverine assaults. The offensive involved riverine barges equipped with machine guns and heavy artillery, as well as an SSPDF gunship that departed from Malakal. The gunship proceeded to bomb civilian positions in two villages within Nuerland. At 10:00 AM East African Time, the helicopter targeted Ying village, striking a civilian position 16 kilometers away from the border. This attack resulted in the killing of several domestic animals and multiple injuries among women and children, as well as significant destruction of residential buildings. Approximately an hour later, at 11:00 AM, the same helicopter dropped additional bombs on Doma village, igniting fires that devastated several buildings.

In the afternoon, around 2:00 PM, two SSPDF riverine barges reached the borders of Nuerland. Upon encroaching into our territory, they were met by our ground defensive forces. After intense exchanges of gunfire, the Naath Defense Forces successfully neutralized one barge armed with a heavy machine gun, leaving it incapacitated in the river around the Lony area. However, one barge managed to advance further into our territory, reaching Thonakuach village, located a few kilometers North of Doma, by 3:00 AM on March 1, 2025.

Ying village after SSPDF air strike

The South Sudan government has persistently disregarded warnings from international bodies, including JMEC, UNMISS, and IGAD, and continues to violate human rights by targeting civilian villages with noncombatant populations. These acts of terrorism not only constitute crimes against humanity but also underscore the South Sudanese government's role as a terrorist regime. We call upon Human Rights Watch and the International Criminal Court to issue an arrest warrant for the President of South Sudan Salva Kiir Mayardit, who has repeatedly committed egregious crimes against the Nuer people.

The Naath Defense Forces remain steadfast in their commitment to safeguarding the integrity of Nuerland and protecting its people from the ongoing aggression by South Sudanese forces. Our resolve remains unshaken in the face of these invasions.