22/07/2025
Today, Tuesday, July 22, 2025:
Breaking News:
Juba Rocked by Gunfire Amid Anti-Sudanese Protests, Key Peace Deal Concerns Persist
**Juba, South Sudan** – The capital city experienced **heavy gunfire and a significant deployment of security forces** on Thursday (July 17th) and into the weekend, as angry youths engaged in **looting and vandalizing businesses owned by Sudanese nationals**. Police reportedly fired shots in the air to disperse the crowds.
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# # # Key Developments:
* **Protests Over Alleged Killings in Sudan:** The unrest in Juba follows widespread condemnation and outrage over gruesome videos circulating on social media, purportedly showing **South Sudanese nationals killed in Wad Madani, Al Jazirah State, Sudan**, by the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF). These incidents have raised serious concerns about the safety of thousands of South Sudanese stranded in the war-torn neighboring country.
* **Police Response:** South Sudan National Police Service spokesperson, Col. John Kassara Koang Nhial, confirmed police action to disperse the protesters and assured that Sudanese residents and their properties in South Sudan would be protected.
* **RJMEC Urges Resolution on Dr. Riek Machar's House Arrest:** The **Reconstituted Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (RJMEC)** has once again called on the transitional government to address the continued **house arrest of First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar** and other SPLM/A-IO leaders. Dr. Machar was placed under house arrest in Juba on March 26, 2025, a move that RJMEC warns is a significant setback to the peace agreement, deepening mistrust and risking renewed conflict.
* **Opposition Rejects Dialogue:** Dr. Machar's SPLM-IO party has rejected President Salva Kiir's recent call for dialogue to avoid civil war, stating that Kiir must first release all detained political and military leaders to demonstrate seriousness.
* **UN Concerns:** The UN Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan has described the situation as a "crisis," warning that the 2018 peace agreement is at the "brink of irrelevance, threatening a total collapse."
* **Economic Outlook and Mobile Money:**
* **IMF Support:** The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has reiterated its commitment to helping South Sudan enhance its revenue mobilization and accelerate economic reforms, with a focus on strengthening **non-oil revenue systems and public financial management**.
* **Mobile Money Legalized:** The Central Bank of South Sudan (BoSS) officially recognized **Mobile Money as a legal means of payment** on July 18, 2025, aiming to digitize the national economy. This move has sparked mixed reactions among the public.
* **Doubts on Oil Resumption:** Economic analysts have cast doubt on President Kiir's promise that the resumption of oil production will lead to significant economic recovery, citing deep structural problems, weak financial governance, and the country's inability to repay international loans.
* **Security Concerns in Greater Tonj and Beyond:**
* **Warrap State Disarmament:** The Warrap governor has reportedly ordered forceful disarmament, as communities, particularly in Tonj North, continue to face high levels of insecurity, including cattle raiding. A recent incident in Tonj North County saw a murder suspect attack a police station to free his father.
* **Clashes in Lakes State:** One person was killed and five soldiers injured in clashes between SSPDF and youth in Rumbek East (Lakes State).
* **Inflow of Arms from Sudan:** A UN report to the Security Council warns that the conflict in Sudan is fueling a flow of sophisticated, looted weapons into South Sudan, violating the UN arms embargo and making local conflicts more lethal. This illicit trade often involves the exchange of arms for fuel and food.
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The situation in South Sudan remains complex, with significant political, security, and economic challenges requiring urgent attention.