Fighting between SPLA-IO and South Sudan army intensifies in Upper Nile state
Photo: Soldiers of the Sudan People Liberation Army (SPLA) shout and celebrate from the trench in Lelo village, outside Malakal, at the northern part of South Sudan, on October 16 2016.
April 12, 2020 (SSNN) — Fighting between South Sudan and the SPLA-IO has intensified in the country’s Upper Nile state with a dozens of soldiers being killed as result, a spokesman from the armed movement, now a part of the coalition government said.
“The Office of the Military Spokesman for Sudan People’s Liberation Army in Opposition (SPLA-IO) would like to inform the public, once more again, the (SSPDF) forces led by the newly integrated Maj.General James Ochan Puot, came in three directions and attacked the SPLA (IO) bases at Biyen, Lolguagoal and Bathelem respectively at exactly 3:30PM, this evening,” Brigadier William Gatjiath Deng, the appeared spokesman of the SPLA-IO, said in a statement on Saturday evening.
He said their forces repulsed the attack capturing in the process a number of weapons saying around fifteen soldiers from the army were killed and one from their side also lost host life.
“The SPLA (IO) gallant forces of division five (5) commanded by the lionhearted Maj.General David Dep Ruot, responded fiercely in their defensive positions in all three (3) bases and undoubtely repulsed the (SSPDF) forces in disarray and captured one (1) Land Crusser Mounted with 12.7 in good condition and killed fifteen (15) soldiers from the regime forces, unfortunately, one (1) soldier from the people’s movement lost life during the attacks and three (3) others with minor injuries,” Gatjiath said.
He urged the region to take note of what he said is a continued violation of the revitalized peace agreement and its ceasefire NY the regime in Juba wondering if there was any peace being implemented following the attack.
“Moreover, the SPLA (IO) leadership is asking the peace guarantors in the region, especially the IGAD, AU and international community, to take clear observation on what is going on in the republic of South Sudan,” he said.
“If the region and international community are really working hard as the guarantors of the current peace in the country, why don’t they summon those anti-peace elements and they should take full investigations? if somebody found redhanded, must face court of justice otherwise, war again in the country is imminent,” he added.
The latest fighting is a flow to the revitalized unity government and derails efforts by president Salva Kiir and his first deputy Dr. Riek Machar Teny to achieve lasting peace in the country.
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