South Sudan's newly appointed army chief, General Santino Deng Wol, has declared a unilateral ceasefire with the SPLM-IO (the armed opposition movement loyal to suspended Vice President Riek Machar), declaring that "the era of renewed hostilities" between government forces and rebels is over. The opposition has stopped short of rejecting the offer outright, with its spokesman describing the announcement as a sign that the country "can return to dialogue and lasting peace," but insisting that Machar and other imprisoned SPLM-IO leaders must be unconditionally released before any halt to fighting can take effect. Ongoing clashes in the Upper Nile and northern Jonglei regions have spiralled out of control in recent months, and observers see Wol's appointment — he previously served as army chief until late 2024 and had backed efforts to deploy unified forces — as a potential opening to revive a stalled peace process.