Map of Upper Nile State (Photo: Courtesy).

Authorities in Upper Nile State have said they cannot, by themselves, help resolve ongoing conflicts in the Chollo Kingdom, saying they have no power over the SSPDF forces stationed there.

This is according to the state minister of information, Luke Saadahha.

The attack occurred at an internally displaced person camp in Aburoc village of Fashoda County on November 30, 2022.

The IDPs camp was reportedly hosting 6,725 civilians when it came under gunfire, most of whom have either been killed or drowned in the river as they fled the violence, according to the area Relief and Rehabilitation Coordinator.

Some of the displaced have reportedly spent five days inside flood waters while in hiding.

According to Upper Nile state’s minister of information, Luk Saadallah the state government can’t stop the violence since they have no power to give directives to SSPDF in the state.

“We can’t give orders to the army to go and fight the attackers, it’s only the Military high command, not the state authorities,” Saadalah told Eye Radio.

“The SSPDF only receives directives from Military Headquarters in Bilpam at the national level and it’s not something that can be decided by the state.”

However, the state authorities have described as very unfortunate the killing of civilians in Fashoda County by an armed ethnic militia last week.

“The incident that happened there is a very unfortunate, we are very sorry. We were in peace then a group of people moved and attacked the villages,” said the minister of information in the state.

“The government has condemned it with the strongest terms possible, the people belong to the government, so we condemned the ongoing incident.”

In November 2022, the attack by the white army from Fangak County in Jonglei reached Fashoda County – where the palace of the King of Chollo is based.

As a result, the Chollo King airlifted to Juba on Thursday, December 1, 2022.