Lt Gen James Koang Chuol, the governor of Upper Nile State during a public rally in Malakal town on Sunday, March 30, 2025 - Courtesy

The Governor or Upper Nile State James Koang Chuol has urged the state citizens to mark the country’s 14th Independence anniversary, calling for calm ahead of tomorrow’s celebration.

In April this year, activist in Upper Nile called on both the state and national governments to end hostiles in the state, following reports of escalating violence and growing fear among local communities

The two counties of Nasir and Ulang counties witnessed military confrontations between the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF) and armed militias, resulting in the destruction of property and loss of lives.

Governor Chuol now says security has since improved, thanking the civil population for staying together.

“Our state is peaceful; the security situation is quite normal. We are telling our civil population, the people of Upper Nile State, to celebrate peacefully and to cooperate among themselves as the unity of our people is concerned,” Governor Chuol said in a phone interview with Eye Radio from Renk, on Tuesday.

“I appreciate them. And I appreciate their unity and for staying together as people,” he added.

In March, 2025, IGAD, the regional body that mediated the 2018 peace agreement that ended the 2013 civil war, sounded alarm after deadly clashes in parts of Upper Nile state.

The bloc lamented that the deteriorating security situation then undermined the hard-won gains achieved in the implementation of the revitalized peace agreement.