South Sudan opposition fighters accuse government forces of fresh attacks
October 6, 2015 (ADDIS ABABA) – Government forces loyal to South Sudanese president Salva Kiir have been accused of 00carrying out fresh air and ground attacks on civilians suspected to be loyal to the former vice president, Riek Machar, in violation of the ceasefire agreement signed in August.
“It was at 9:00 AM, yesterday [Monday] when government troop launched an aerial bombardment on civilian at Munduri County in Western Equatoria state. In the same day, they send military convoy from Juba to Munduri where they overnight at Jumbo and they began to shell on civilians, burned down the villages around Jumbo Payam,” said Colonel William Gatjiath Deng.
He said this was another violation which showed that the government was aiming to make difficult the implementation of the peace agreement.
“We must always turn face to IGAD plus, AU and International Community to send down verification team to check that uncontrollable violations always made by the government,” he said.
The two rival forces have been trading accusations even from the day president Kiir signed the peace deal in Juba on 26 August. Fighting last week also resumed in Unity state over the control of Leer and Koch counties. The two parties accused each other of initiating the clashes.
The parties are yet to agree on ceasefire implementation and security arrangements at a workshop in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, which brings together senior military commanders from the parties to the agreement.
Tens of thousands of people have died and millions more displaced internally and to the neighbouring countries of Sudan, Ethiopia, Kenya and Uganda since the break out of war in December 2013.
(ST)