Malakal firefight subsides as Sudan leaders call for truce
February 24, 2009 (MALAKAL) – Fighting in the northernmost state capital of South Sudan eased by Tuesday afternoon as the region’s vice president arrived to intervene in Malakal, a town of major military significance during the civil war ended four years ago.
Sudan’s president and other top officials called for a halt to the clashes, which pitted the Southern Sudan Army against a Khartoum-backed militia.
In a meeting held today in Juba the Sudanese Presidency condemned the “isolated” incident and directed a high-level delegation of the governments of Sudan and Southern Sudan to work for the immediate containment of the clashes.
Headed by regional vice president Riek Machar Teny, the joint delegation arrived today by helicopter to Falluj, several miles north of Malakal town—a much swifter intervention than in 2006 when clashes with the same militia left 150 dead.
A statement from Machar’s office said that only sporadic firefights took place this afternoon and an “unofficial ceasefire” seemed to have ended the confrontation since the vice president had landed in the late afternoon.
UN peacekeepers reported up to eight casualties in Malakal while the Office of the Vice President cited unverified reports that there were bodies of civilians and uniformed fighters in the streets. Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) reports four people were killed and 18 wounded.
The fighting began Tuesday morning following the arrival on the preceding afternoon of Maj. Gen. Gabriel Tang Ginya, a militia leader who suddenly appeared with 20 armed men.
Tang had been banished from the town after the 2006 fighting, which resulted from a fierce dispute over the commissionership of Malakal.
While reports differ as to the exact circumstances of the confrontation, it is clear that Tang’s arrival was vehemently opposed by certain elements within a combined north-south military unit, known as a Joint Integrated Unit (JIU), while other JIU soldiers were in fact former members of Tang’s militia.
Eyewitnesses told Sudan Tribune that some troops in the southern army, SPLA, wanted to capture Tang alive or else shoot him. UN peacekeepers tried to intervene to convince him to leave with no results.
Speaking in Juba, some members of parliament from Upper Nile blamed Tang’s forces for trying to occupy the Malakal airport with eight tanks, two of which were destroyed by SPLA. The legislators, who declined to be named, further alleged that some of the militiamen disguised themselves in uniforms of UN peacekeepers in order to occupy the airport. These claims are unverified.
Another SPLM figure from the region alleged that Tang had flown in from Khartoum on a jet chartered by the central government. He said that SPLA overran two of three military outposts in the area—one by the airport and one in the town—while Tang then took shelter in a third garrison by the Nile where artillery were based.
The state has declared a state of emergency.
More clashes are reported outside of Malakal, though details are sketchy. According to a radio station affiliated with the United Nations Miraya FM, clashes with militia fighter also took place in Falluj in Malut County. Sources told the radio that elements of JIUs are fighting among themselves while SPLA is fighting Sudan Armed Forces in Girbanat, a town northeast of Renk town in Renk County.
Ashraf Qazi, the UN Secretary-General’s representative to Sudan, noted it is “essential for the military leadership of the SAF and the SPLA to ensure that the JIUs fulfilled their function as integrated units working together to protect civilians.”
One UN national staff member was wounded in the foot when fired upon while riding in a bus from a logistics base, the UN said.
(ST)
Lil Jiok by laws
Malakal firefight subsides as Sudan leaders call for truce
Good job Mr.VP Machar.
Where is black cowboy?
Grader
Malakal firefight subsides as Sudan leaders call for truce
The mother SPLA and the SPLA JIU in Malakal should all be awarded medals for their bravery. Dr Riek Machar too has to be commended for his search for peace in South Sudan
May God bless South Sudan
Magos
Malakal firefight subsides as Sudan leaders call for truce
WoW Mr Vice-President Riek Machar you ‘ve to be care full with your friend Bashire ,They turn Nuer small town call Falloch to be called Falluj of Iraq,Is it because of oil there? I really blame Nuer laeders .Why ‘re you allowed Arabs to change your town name mr Goveror Gatluak Deng ‘We we ready knew you ,you were with Bashire’Please If you ‘re now with South Sudan Government ,You must to arest that Arabs mallitry Gen Gabriel who provoked the situation in Malakal also I power Vic Preisdent Raik to do his jobs strongly no sleeping in this time of Bashire indictment.
mounjaang
THANK YOU MR BANY DR RIEK
Thank you MR BANY RIEK MACAR go and see what those motherfuckers what are they doind in our own homeland let them go back to where they came from we don’t want to see them here in southern sudan. i’m SOUTHERN SUDANESE and had never been to Nouth or krtm so what does he still want here we don’t like them and we will not like in anytime or anywhere. BANY DR JOHN Garang said we don’t need south only we need south + others three states soon we are going to take over whole SUDAN. we are not playing with them this time. we need DURFUR to come to south i know they had kill us a lot but they are our brothers but if they don’t want to come to south than let them get fuck and we are not going to help their ass . NOW in south we need better ECONOMY EDUCATION HEALTH CARE MILITARY AND GOOD SPORTS BETTER FREEDOM FOR EVERYONE FREEDOM WERE YOU CAN WALK ALLL NIGHT IN JUBA WITH NO FEAR OR THREAT NOT ONLY IN JUBA BUT FOR ALL 10 STATES. MOUNJAANG
Mr Network
Malakal firefight subsides as Sudan leaders call for truce
Mr.Tang Giny has to appear before judge for seriously investigation either send to hague too.JIUs fuction to go in between when such confratation happen but Mr.Tany use them as tools for vehicles repairs.Thanksz to DR.Machar for his visiting in order to encourage but you have to make so that this man is accountable for an incident and he has to account for.Arab have fucked him in khartoum becuase of huge amount of Sudanese pound (SDG) and coming to bake like toothless dogs to disurtb peace ,let sleeping dogs lie but you have to fuck with panga to pay for them innocent bloodshed in Upper Nile State.Commissionship is being taken throw goodwill no body will vote you in this post whatsoevr case may be your behavor spoile you!
Bazinguaboy
Malakal firefight subsides as Sudan leaders call for truce
Did I notice there was no mention of our dear Governor in this sad event that took place on our dear soil? Wonder where you are, Mr. Governor … do justify your use of taxpayer’s money.
Chol Manyiel
Malakal firefight subsides as Sudan leaders call for truce
Mr.Tang what are you fighting for? Why don’t you people understand what is meant by peace? Congratulation SPLA for teaching this stupid militia leader a lesson by destroying his two military tanks.
Shame also on the government that support Tang.
Gaaniko John
Malakal firefight subsides as Sudan leaders call for truce
Shame on GoSS.This tribal Government acts only for the benefit of their own black niggers while overlooking, segregating,neglecting the killings of our people in WES by their backing achievements for LRA. LRA attacks in WES has lasted for long without any word from the Government. Now, what had happened for only a day in Malakal and only 18 people died, you see the VP hurring there. What about the killings in WES?
Your position is now clear for the people of WES.
Majur Ador
Malakal firefight subsides as Sudan leaders call for truce
Dear All,
Please at this material time we should be united and leave those chronic tribal confrontation to us room to face our major enemy, after all when the true physical counting will be done i believe all the people who got killed or wounded would be from the South. So the question is then why do we allow the enemy to divide and use us for his selfish reasons?
A patriotic South Sudanese will not be happy seeing his own brother killed or killing other without any justified reason.
For those who use this website among others as the sole source of information my advice to them is that they should try to diversify their search for accurate information. Like this article which we are commenting on has many relayed information which might have been filtered, got distorted and only the one who is in the field will tell whether it is true or false e.g Gabriel Gtawech (Tanginya) did not contest for Commissionership of Malakal because he is Nuer and Makal County is for Chollo and was reflected in the article that he did among other misinformations.
Secondly, Maj.Gen. Gabriel Gatwech (Tanginya) is doing his assignment or fulfilling what he promise his Masters to destabilised peace and development in South Sudan. Reason is, like in 2006 when he caused the clash/fight in Malakal he was Bregidier and after his job he got promoted to the rank of Major General and believe me now or later with his second attempt again in Malakal he will subsequently be promoted now to the rank of Lt.Gen.
Lastly much as we have some of our leaders who went wrong during the movement and have been accepted back that was for us to get united as South Sudanese and fight that one enemy. So please stop annoying our brothers. There is no community that can be 100% ok so, the few abnormalities should be admitted for unity of the south.
mayombo
Malakal firefight subsides as Sudan leaders call for truce
We are very sorry with Nur comminity how can they cause insecurity in thier own area me I thought Nur have learn enought the fruitless Rebel of Vice President Riak Machar.
right now the only people who are cmpletly bind in term of education are Nure commonity. For instant in Old Fangak where Tagai came is the laest in the all of Jongley and in the all of Southern Sudan. This is rigth time for us to fingth our common enermy not causeing trable for our own people Nure commonity have Shame us for along time let them learn from the past and make correction. For Riak Machar going to the region will not help at all better send anothere person apart from him HE IS becoming toothless dog. Sham on Nure all.
Hassan Ali Deng
Malakal firefight subsides as Sudan leaders call for truce
How dared Mr. Riak Machar released the so called Gabriel Tang and send him back to Khartoum?.
Well, to me it seems that in his eagerness to be president of south Sudan, Mr. Machar is commiting several fatal mistakes, most of which could be justified based on his way of thinking, which is characterized by his behaviour as only a sultan of Nuer and not a southern leader. Dr. Machar behaves humbly when an issue is related to either Nuer or Jalaba, yet the guy is still liaisoning with Jalaba to help him comes in power.
I urge those of you who do not agree with my point to call any relative (if any) in Malakal to find out how Mr. 10% have become unpopular among Malakal’s population including Nuer’s members. Woe to this leader. He is just like a shark which follows even a prey’s blood drop. He can not live out of blood shade.
Dr. Machar met Tang yesterday, hug him and gret him on cheeks and sent him savely to Khartoum instead of arresting him.
Nyoundeng Bong
Malakal firefight subsides as Sudan leaders call for truce
what Riek is coming to do here in Malakal??? Riek go back, we will hand over to Bor to trial you for your 1990s killing of civilians, beware!!!