2016–17 Wau clashes

Increasing violence in Wau State

Since early December 2015, tensions between the different ethnic groups of Wau State began to rise, as SPLA soldiers from Northern Bahr el Ghazal and Warrap were deployed to Wau to act as counter-insurgency force, while the local SPLM-IO fighters intensified their operations. On 2 December, the SPLM-IO reportedly attacked government units at Busseri and Firka, causing the SPLA to send reinforcements to these area, which were in turn ambushed and defeated by the rebels. Three days later, clashes between rebel and government fighters broke out around Bisellia, Bazia, Faraj Allah, Bringi, Mapel, and the Bo River Post. Amid the fighting there were reports that the Ugandan People's Defence Air Force and/or the South Sudan Air Force conducted aerial attacks against both rebel as well as civilian targets using attack helicopters. The UNO consequently criticised the SPLA for breaching the national ceasefire by conducting offensive operations.

At the same time, Human Rights Watch reported that the newly deployed government soldiers, mostly Dinka, began to abuse the local Fertit population, forcing tens of thounsands to flee Wau. Many civilians were arrested and then murdered as purported SPLM-IO supporters. Governor Elias Waya Nyipuoc admitted that by 30 May 2016, he had confirmed that at least 100 civilians had been murdered by SPLA soldiers, and had reported the cases to the government. Unable to stop them, he said that the soldiers probably abused the local population because the government had failed to pay or feed them. This caused them to rob what they needed. Waya argued that this behavior was to be expected when the government neglected their military forces. The SPLA leadership, meanwhile, denied that any abuses at the hands of SPLA soldiers had taken place in Wau. In addition to the violence of the SPLA against civilians, no progress was made in the attempts to enforce the ceasefire between the SPLA and local SPLM-IO groups, as the government denied that the SPLM-IO had any presence in the whole Bahr el Ghazal region to which Wau State belongs. As result, no agreement for SPLM-IO cantonment areas in Wau State was reached. On 9 April, the SPLA command even announced that they would launch an offensive in Bahr el Ghazal and Equatoria to destroy all SPLM-IO units in these regions.

At the same time, the SPLA soldiers were accused by the opposition of intensifying their abuses of Fertit civilians, while reportedly working together with local Dinka militants and armed cattle herders in their attacks. The violence in Wau further increased in June, as individual Fertit began to fight back by murdering soldiers, policemen and Dinkas. This in turn caused revenge killings by Dinkas and SPLA against Fertit. In addition, insecurity in the state increased dramatically, as local SPLM-IO and SPLA units ignored the ceasefire and clashed on several occasions at Bagari and Angu Angu. At least 8 SPLA soldiers were killed, while Raga town in the neighbouring Lol State was overrun by rebels for a short time, resulting in the death of several bodyguards of the local governor.

Battle in Wau town

By 23 June, a larger battle south of the state capital, Wau town, broke out between SPLA and SPLM-IO, the latter claiming to fight in order to protect the local Fertit people from attacks by the Dinka-dominated SPLA. As result of the increasing violence, a state of emergency was declared in Wau town, and the SPLA's 5th Division moved in, officially to prevent further escalation of violence. These forces were under the command of Lt. Gen. Gabriel Jok Riak, who had been accused of human rights abuses by the United Nations during the South Sudanese Civil War. Governor Waya initially claimed to support the emergency declaration, stating "All who are here are rebels, so the Division [5 of the] SPLA is ready and even those who are just walking around are ready". However, opposition groups claimed that the army soon began to plunder the state capital, and to assault the civilian population, leading Governor Waya to criticise the soldiers. Soon thereafter, on 24 June 2016, President Kiir unexpectedly sacked Waya, and just a few hours later, had him arrested. A local SPLA commander declared that Waya had been arrested because he was responsible for the deteriorating situation in the state, claiming that he had no respect for the military and talked "nonsense". A few days later, a document began to circulate on the internet that claimed that Lt. Gen. Mangar Buong Aluenge of the SPLA had plotted from the very beginning to remove and arrest Waya, while the Society for Threatened Peoples believed that Waya's criticism of the army had led to his arrest.

As result of Waya's dismissal, the situation escalated completely, as a heavy battle broke out in Wau town. According to independent and opposition sources, as army soldiers and Dinkas intensified their attacks on the town's Fertit population, many locals picked up arms and began to fight the pro-government forces. They were supported by armed Fertit youth from the countryside, who also came into Wau town to take revenge against the Dinkas. The SPLM-IO claimed that their forces had stayed out of Wau town, but attacked SPLA soldiers to protect Fertit civilians in the settlement's southern outskirts. By late 25 June, the SPLA claimed to have secured the town and began to search for hiding insurgents. The army imposed a curfew in Wau town the next day, and, according to local civilians, together with Dinka tribal fighters once again began to kill, rape and rob the local Fertit civilians. These began to flee en masse to the nearby UNMISS base and local churches for protection. The government forces, however, maintained that the whole battle was the result of tribal fighters invading the town, whereupon "some greedy civilians started immediately on a looting spree". Accordingly, the army had just defended itself and not preyed on civilians, though army spokesman Lul Rurai Koang said that it was possible that individual soldiers might have participated in the looting.

On 28 June, Wau town was once again attacked by a major force of insurgents, reportedly 350-700 fighters. Independent and opposition sources claim that the assailants belonged to a pro-Fertit, SPLM-IO-linked tribal milita, while the government said they were part of the "Islamic Movement for Liberation of Raja". This group, government spokesman Makuei Lueth further claimed, wanted establish an Islamic state in the region, but also included members of the Christian Lord's Resistance Army. He accused Sudan of backing the them. The assault was eventually repelled, and afterwards Dinka gunmen once again began to loot the town and executed anyone opposing them. While the government claimed that the looters were unrelated criminals, locals believed them to be SPLA soldiers as they wore uniforms. UNMISS also said that a total breakdown of law and order had taken place in Wau. A least 30 people were killed while attempting to protect the properties of civilians who fled their homes. After the attackers were driven off, the pro-government mayor of Wau town quickly declared that the town was safe again, but most residents refused to return home. One civilian stated that "Up to now, people are not really secure because some of the soldiers are still moving around."

Meanwhile, the official SPLM-IO leadership attempted to distance itself from the local uprising. It was estimated that the fighting in the Wau State had resulted in over 400 civilians killed, and up to 120,000 displaced. Of these, 12,000 had sought refuge in the local UNMISS base.

On 2 July, the new Governor of Wau, Andrea Mayan, declared that the situation in the state capital had been stabilized, with people being able to return home. A high level committee had been formed to investigate the clashes, and the curfew was lifted. The Guardian, however, reported that by 5 July, only the Dinka-dominated parts of Wau town "were lively. Pick-up trucks mounted with machine guns and full of soldiers toting AK-47s, mostly Dinka, patrolled the area. In contrast, the southern and western parts of town, home to the Fartit, were deserted after people flocked to churches and the UN base for protection."

On 7 July, another battle broke out in Wau town, resulting once again in a civilian mass exodus. By then, it was estimated that 150,000 people had fled Wau town, leaving it mostly deserted. Malaria had broken out among the refugees, most of which were forced to live in the bush. Government and rebel forces blamed each other for the renewed fighting; SPLM-IO Maj. Gen. Ashhab Khamis Fahal Ukanda stated that "They [the government] don't think other people have rights in this country. We all worked together to bring independence of the country. But they have turned against the rest of the people. They think they are born to rule. We will not accept that." Three day later, sporadic, small-scale clashes broke out among SPLA units in Wau town.

Fighting in the countryside

On 12 July, government forces reportedly launched an offensive against SPLM-IO positions in the whole Wau state, most importantly at Angu Angu, Brenji, Faraj Allah, Bazia and Taban. Heavy fighting also took place in the state capital's direct southern vicinity. While both locals as well as local SPLA commanders confirmed the clashes, army spokesman Lul Ruai denied that any military action took place. Whereas the SPLM-IO claimed that they had attempted to evacuate civilians as they had been attacked, the SPLA's 5th Division accused the rebels of attacking Wau town. Moreover, the SPLA stated that they had relocated most of their forces from the state capital to defensive positions at Lokoloko and Jebel Rabi. After heavy fighting throughout 12 July, the SPLM-IO was forced to withdraw from Angu Angu, Brenji and Taban, accusing the SPLA to have arrested 25 civilians from these sites and to have taken them to Wau town.

Governor Mayan announced on 20 July that he planned to initiate a dialogue with the armed opposition groups that still fought against the SPLA in Wau State. Such peace talks, however, would depend on President Kiir's approval. On 23 July, two SPLA soldiers were executed by a firing squad for the murder of a couple in Wau town. The execution was supposed to serve as warning for SPLA soldiers "who used to violet the military regulation, it is also what tell the people of South Sudan that any soldier found committing crime against civilian should be deal with" said a local judge.

On 27 July, the SPLM-IO captured the Ngo Baggari County in Wau State from the government after fierce clashes, with the rebels claiming that they had captured the local County Commissioner, Anthony Fada Taban. There were also speculations that Taban might have defected to the SPLM-IO. Governor Mayan admitted that the SPLA had indeed abandoned Ngo Baggari County to the SPLM-IO, but said that the retreat was voluntary and that no clashes had taken place. Furthermore, he denied that the County Commissioner had been captured. The SPLM-IO's success in Ngo Baggari was explained by the fact that many locals, who were former soldiers, had been mistreated by the government and subsequently joined the rebels. SPLM-IO commander Ashab Khamis Fahal claimed that 1725 SPLA soldiers had defected to them. Meanwhile, a representative of the UDSF-M party accused SPLA units in Wau State of ignoring the ceasefire and attacking the local opposition groups, thereby causing the insecurity and chaos in the state. He also said that, as the SPLA soldiers received their orders only from the government in Juba, the governor was sidelined and in consequence unable to control the military.

On 3 August, commissioner Taban resurfaced, announcing that he had actually defected to the rebels, citing the abuse of civilians by the government as reason. At the same time, the OCHA criticized the government's military for hindering humanitarian relief agencies that attempted to enter Wau town. On 6 August, peace talks between the local opposition and the governor were held, though the situation in the state remained volatile, with civilians being displaced or unlawfully arrested by SPLA soldiers. Governor Mayan attempted to ease tensions by negotiating the release of fifty prisoners in October, and including local religious authorities in the peace talks. On the other side, the SPLA prepared a new offensive against the Wau rebels. As of 10 August, the continued fighting had resulted in the Juba-Yambio-Wau road becoming too insecure for the transport of goods, leading to food shortages in Wau town.

On 21 August, President Kiir finally approved governor Mayan's peace talks with the rebels of Wau State, while the governor also reached an agreement with the South Sudan Police Service to deploy policemen to Wau town in order to improve the local security. Between 9 and 11 September, clashes once again broke out west of Wau town, as the SPLM-IO claimed that the peace talks had failed, and the government forces had launched a major attack on their positions. The rebels also said that the attack had been repulsed, though this could not be independently confirmed. On 17 September, clashes took place at Bazia and Busseri. Despite the renewed violence, Governor Mayan declared on 19 September that he had formed a committee to hold direct negotiations with the rebels. Just three days later, the SPLA and allied militias launched another attack against SPLM-IO positions, which led to heavy fighting around Wau town, Baggari, Bringi, Busseri, and Bazia that lasted until 25 September. At the same time, President Kiir finally approved the creation of cantonment sites for SPLM-IO forces in the Bahr el Ghazal region after rejecting this move for a long time. These cantonment sites, however, were meant only for SPLM-IO fighters loyal to Taban Deng Gai, the new Vice President of South Sudan. Riek Machar's followers, on the other side, were referred to as "warmongers" that would "be dealt with" by the government. On 17 October, the SPLM-IO and local citizens accused the SPLA of robbing and killing nine civilians in Wau. At this point, fighting had mostly abated, as the peace talks progressed.

By December, however, fighting had restarted, with the rebels having taken control of large areas in the western part of Wau State. Heavy clashes once again broke out in the area around Busseri, forcing many civilians to flee their homes, with the SPLM-IO claiming to have fully captured Busseri. Even though the governor continued to urge the local rebels to join Taban Deng Gai's faction and end their insurgency, his pleas were rejected by the SPLM-IO spokesman for Wau, Nicola Gabriel Adam. Gabriel claimed that Taban Deng Gai had become part of the government they were fighting, while accusing the army of being the aggressor in this conflict, saying that the SPLA had just recently attacked SPLM-IO forces near Bringi. The mayor of Wau, meanwhile, denied that clashes were still happening, saying the people still fled to Wau town due to food shortages in their home areas.

By mid-January, about 28,850 IDPs were sheltered at Wau town, unable to return to their homes due to the ongoing fighting. On 20 January, heavy fighting broke out at Khor Natabu along the Bringi-Wau road, as SPLA-allied pastoralists from Tonj State attacked local opposition-affiliated farmers. The attack was repulsed, and on 25 January the cattle herders retreated to Tonj. On the same day, Lt. Col. al-Fadil Meil Issa, a member of the Ceasefire and Transitional Security Arrangements Monitoring Mechanism (CTSAMM) in Wau, was brutally murdered by unknown assailants. Serving as CTSAMM's liaison officer to contact the local rebel factions, Issa had been loyal to Taban Deng Gai's SPLM-IO faction. When the government consequently arrested four suspects, they declared that Issa had been killed by Machar's followers. Clashes took place directly west of Wau town during the night between 30 and 31 January, when a SPLA patrol encountered a group of rebels by chance. Three government soldiers were killed during the following firefight.