page_title: 2016–2019 Wau clashes
section_title: Fighting in the countryside
hierarchical_section_title: 2016–2019 Wau clashes / Clashes / Fighting in the countryside
caption_attribution_description: English: Man shows his personal cattle
context_page_description: Armed clashes took in Wau State from late June 2016 to January 2019, between the Dinka-dominated Sudan People's Liberation Army and local opposition forces, consisting of tribal Fertit militias as well as fighters claiming allegiance to Riek Machar. It is unclear to what extent these rebels are actually part of the SPLM-IO or acting independently while using the SPLM-IO's name. The clashes resulted in the arrest of the state's governor, Elias Waya Nyipuoc, widespread death and destruction in the state capital, Wau town, and the displacement of up to 150,000 people.
context_section_description: 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 th
caption: Since February 2017, the conflict between the Luo in Wau State and government-allied Dinka pastoralists from Tonj State escalated, leading to clashes and many deaths over the following months.[7][8]
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