South Sudan rebels abduct senior SPLA-IO officers
SPLA-IO deputy spokesman Col. Lam Paul Gabriel addressing a press conference in Juba in 2019 (Photo credit: Radio Tamazuj)
May 14, 2020 (SSNN) – South Sudan rebels have abducted eight senior military officers of the main armed opposition group, SPLM/SPLA (IO) after fighting escalated in the country’s Central Equatoria state, a spokesman said Thursday.
Col. Lam Paul Gabriel, the deputy SPLA-IO spokesman and the press secretary at the minister of defense’s office said two Generals were abducted along with five other junior members of the group on Sunday.
The abducted officers includes Brig. Gen. Sammy Logeleng , Brig. Gen. Clement Samila and Col. Wokil Peter.
“On 10/05/2020 at about 3:00PM a vehicle transporting SPLA-IO officers to the Sector 8 HQ in Wunulyet was ambushed by NAS forces at Kansuk in Kajo Keji County. About eight (8) SPLA-IO including three senior Officers were abducted by the attackers,” Lam said in a statement seen by South Sudan News Now (SSNN).
Lam who is in Juba urged the National Salvation Front (NAS), a holdout opposition group led by General Thomas Cirilo Swaka, to release the the abducted to a neutral body urging South Sudan peace monitors to investigate the ceasefire violation by NAS.
“The SPLA-IO calls upon NAS leadership to release those officers to a neutral body as soon as possible,” Lam said. “The SPLA-IO calls upon CTSAMM and UNMISS to investigate this violation and brings those responsible to account.”
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