South Sudan Malakal still facing insecurity threats

March 27, 2007 (MALAKAL) — The residents of Malakal, capital of Upper Nile are still experiencing insecurity due to regular conflict between SPLA and SAF soldiers and SAF-allied militias in the area.

A high-placed source in Malakal, who asked not to be named, told Sudan Radio Service that every evening there are gunshots coming from the area of the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) military headquarters.

The source also told Sudan Radio Service (SRS) that militia who are currently part of the SAF continue to harass civilian within the town.

The source further said a team of Joint Integrated Units from Juba was flown into Malakal last week and their presence has improved the situation.

Fighting between former rebel SPLA and government forces and its allied militias killed more than 150 people and wounded at least 400 in Malakal last November.

The battle was one of the worst breaches of a January 2005 peace agreement that ended 21 years of civil war in the south.

Aid workers said the fighting began when a government-allied militia tried to kill a local leader of the SPLM in Malakal, a port town about 400 miles south of Sudan’s capital, Khartoum.

(SRS/ST)