W. Equatoria ramps up security after rebels claim new attack
April 8, 2015 (JUBA) – Authorities in South Sudan’s state of Western Equatoria said they have increased deployment of security forces after a new rebel group claimed responsibility for Tuesday attack in the area which left at least one vehicle destroyed.
REMNASA rebels in a statement extended to Sudan Tribune on Wednesday said they destroyed two military trailers transporting army supplies, including arms and ammunitions from its Maridi headquarters and warned of further attacks.
“REMNASA would like to reiterate that attacks on SPLA conveys and vehicles will continue in all its theatre of operation particularly roads linking up the major cities and those seen as major supply roads,” partly reads the statement.
“Therefore we take this opportunity to warn civilians and traders against using either army conveys or carry army supplies or personnel because they avail themselves the opportunity to become legitimate target in this protracted fight against the dictatorship, oppression and tribal hegemony being perpetuated by the genocidal regime of Salva Kiir and the tribal council of Jieng [Dinka] elders in Juba,” it added.
The rebel group formed last year, which operates separately from the main armed opposition faction of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM-IO) led by former vice-president Riek Machar, claimed to have dispersed 50 government troops who were accompanying the convoys.
Western Equatoria state’s authorities confirmed the Tuesday attacks, but said commercial vehicles were the target.
Maridi county commissioner Wilson Thomas Yanga in an interview with Sudan Tribune on Wednesday said the group set ablaze a commercial vehicle at around 11pm while travelling between Maridi and Mambe towns.
“The truck was returning from Wau [Western Bahr el Ghazal state] with passengers when it was stopped and looted,” Yanga told Sudan Tribune.
“There was no harm to the passengers. They only took some money from the passengers,” he added.
Although the state authorities could not immediately confirm the perpetrators, he said they received reports that the new rebel group in the area was responsible for the attack.
He added that the rebels took some money from passengers but did not harm any of them. The passengers had to walk from the scene of the incident after their truck was destroyed.
REMNASA was formed in January commanded by Major Losuba Lodoru, a former military official working with the ministry of defence in Juba before his defection.
This is the second time the armed group carried out an attack in the state after 27 January’s attack on army’s position in Maridi this year in which the rebel group allegedly killed six government soldiers.
The group accused the Kiir-led government of tribalism, sectarianism and lack of vision for the country, saying they rebelled to forcefully remove the current leadership in Juba.
The new rebel faction is not however part of the ongoing peace process in Addis Ababa.
(ST)