The inhabitants of Adok Port in Unity State’s Leer County on Monday said they are living in fear, citing a plan by the SSPDF to attack SPLA-IO positions in the area following an alleged advisory by the UN Coordination Office to humanitarians not to go to the port area.

A couple of months ago, the SSPDF accused the SPLA-IO, led by now-detained First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar, of impounding several boats, barges, and other water vessels and holding their crew hostage.

Duop Khar, a resident of Adok Port, told Radio Tamazuj that they now live in fear because they heard rumors that the SSPDF wants to take control of the port and the surrounding areas from the SPLA-IO.

“They (SSPDF) want to deploy in Adok Port and take control of the area because it is a river transport corridor under SPLA IO since the beginning of conflict in 2013,” Khar said. “They want to take the control of the port which has been under the control of the SPLA-IO since the conflict erupted in December 2013. The SSPDF say that the SPLA-IO are mistreating boat crews and disrupting the movement of vessels on the River Nile from Juba to Upper Nile and Unity states. When we heard the news of a looming SSPDF attack on social media, we now fear for our lives because this time is for peace and not war.”

“Some residents are not sleeping due to fear of SSPDF aerial bombardment of Adok, and I am appealing to the transitional government in Juba to resolve their differences peacefully,” Khar added.

Another resident of Adok Port, Nyawich Gatjiath, said the distress of the people has been fueled by the recent fighting and airstrikes in Upper Nile and Jonglei States.

“We are terrified because we hear several rumors of imminent attacks in our area, and most people have now left their homes for unknown locations,” she said.

Meanwhile, Peter Gatkuoth Malual, the project officer of Coalition for Humanity and the coordinator of the civil society in Leer County, said that if the attacks happen, it will negatively impact innocent civilians and lead to a humanitarian crisis.

“We cannot deny or confirm the allegations, but on the ground, we see the SSPDF and SPLA-IO working together up to now,” he said.

For his part, the SPLA-IO’s Sector Two spokesperson in Unity State, Yai Pazale, said they have no problem with the SSPDF on the ground but confirmed the fears of an attack and said they are ready to defend their positions.

“We are preparing to defend ourselves when they (SSPDF) come to attack us in our positions. However, our relationship with SSPDF on the ground is fine, and we are working together with them here,” he said. “It is not the first time for SSPDF to accuse us of blocking boats and barges along the River Nile. We have been along the Nile since the start of the conflict and have never blocked it even for a day.”

“They (SSPDF) just want to attack us using the excuse of us detaining boats and barges, which is not true,” Pazale added.

On his part, Stephen Taker Riek, the commissioner of Leer County, denied the allegations of a planned attack by the SSPDF.

“There is no plan to attack the SPLA-IO because President Salva Kiir is for peace and said he will not take the country back to war,” he said. “As I communicate with you, our relationship with the SPLA-IO in Adok is very fine and we have no problem with the. All our agreements have been in place since I was appointed commissioner of Leer County in 2021.”

“I usually travel to Adok Port to check on the work of the SPLA-IO forces, and they are doing fine, and the fighting that the people are talking about is not there as we speak now,” Commissioner Taker added.

Efforts to reach SSPDF Spokesperson Maj. Gen. Lul Ruai Koang were futile.