South Sudanese rival forces trade accusations over fresh fighting
August 10, 2015 (JUBA) – South Sudanese rival forces have traded accusations in which each side attempted to hold the other responsible for launching a fresh attack on positions held by the other in violation of the non-operational ceasefire deal. The attacks came despite resumption of the peace talks in the neigbouring Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa.
The clashes came three days after the resumption of the 4th round of peace talks under the auspices of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) and its international mediation partners.
It was not immediately clear which of the warring parties initiated the attack on the other. Military officers from both sides have provided statements depicting the other to have carried out the attack.
Spokesperson of the government forces, Colonel Philip Aguer, in a statement on Sunday claimed that forces loyal to the former government-allied militia commander, turned rebel, Johnson Olony and the fighters allied to the former vice president Riek Machar launched “a coordinated and joint attack” on the positions held by the government forces in the area.
The military officer, however, downplayed the strength of the opposition fighters, asserting that the clash lasted only for a few hours before “the attackers were repulsed.”
“The fighting continued from morning up to mid-day,” said Aguer. “By afternoon, the attackers were repulsed and the SPLA is controlling the area.”
Several of the leading opposition figures also claimed during an exclusive interview with Sudan Tribune on Monday that government troops “launched coordinated attacks” on the positions held by their fighters in Unity state after their forces reportedly came “under sustained heavy shelling” for two days on Thursday and Friday.
“You know, it is always the habit of the government to attack the positions held by our forces when we are in negotiations with them. They instigated these attacks with intention to bolster their negotiating positions at the talks,” Abdullah Kuot, spokesman of the armed opposition fighters under the overall command of General Dau Aturjong in Bahr el Ghazal region told Sudan Tribune on Monday.
“Everybody knows this tactic and it is not a secret that the government is entirely responsible for these unnecessary attacks motivated by its desires and attempts to recapture oil fields under our control, but they will not succeed,” he said.
Kuot further claimed that they also received reports from the headquarters of the opposition leader that the government troops attacked opposition-held areas in Leer and Mayendit counties in the oil-rich Unity state during which many lives were reportedly lost on both sides of the conflict.
The two warring parties, president Salva Kiir’s government and the opposition under Machar’s leadership, are given till 17 August to sign a final peace agreement to end the 20-month long civil war or risk impositions of sanctions on any party that will refuse to sign the peace deal.
(ST)