Peter Gatdet’s forces claim victory over South Sudan army
April 24, 2011 (MALAKAL) – The rebel forces under the command of the renegade general Peter Gatdet Yak today have claimed making more advances and inflicting heavy losses on SPLA forces of Division Four in Unity state.
“In that battle, the enemy suffered heavy casualties interms of human and material losses. SPLA left behind several hundred bodies of their dead fighters,” Gatkuoth said, adding that the SSLA shattered SPLA convoys of reinforcement that came from Division Three in Lakes and Warrap states.
The rebel spokesperson further claimed they destroyed two SPLA tanks and six trucks and captured nine trucks and four land cruisers 4wheel drive in good conditions. He further claimed capturing six RPGs with several launchers and large quantities of PKMs and AKMs machine guns and ammunitions when they seized Mankien on Thursday, 21 April.
Gatkuoth on the other hand refuted as “naked and unfounded” allegations by the SPLA spokesman Col. Philip Aguer, that SSLA forces also killed wounded SPLA soldiers after capturing the town.
However, the SPLA spokesman, Brig. Gen. Malaak Ayuen, on Saturday said the SPLA forces had recaptured the town from Gatdet’s forces on 22 April after fierce battle that lasted for three hours.
In a separate interview, the SSLA spokesman warned that their next target after taking control of Mayom will be Warrap and Jonglei states before launching an assault on Juba, the capital. He claimed that his forces were fighting on behalf of other political parties in the South to topple the government and come up with a constitution that will make the necessary transformations necessary.
Yesterday the SPLA spokesperson claimed that the south sudan army killed 57 rebels during Saturday’s clashes with Tanginya’s forces, in Jonglei state. He also said that three major-generals and several high ranking officers were among them.
But SPLA sources involved in the fighting against Gabriel Tanginya told Sudan Tribune that there was no Major General killed on the side of the militias. A source close to Brig. Gen. Gatwech Gai, the SPLA officer who was in charge and clashed with Tanginya forces at Kaldak, said they only found the body of a Lt. Colonel from Gabriel Tanginya’s forces after dislodging his group from the area.
He also denied that the SPLA started the fighting, explaining that as they were presenting a letter from President Salva Kiir to Gabriel Tanginya, asking him to report to the capital, somebody unknown shot a bullet in the outskirts of the area and that caused the confusion which erupted into clashes between the two forces.
He said both Gabriel Tanginya and the SPLA commander Gatwech Gai were not aware of what was happening. The SPLA commander, Gatwech, was also wounded in the clashes, the source further explained.
(ST)