South Sudan government accuses SPLM-IO of besieging Bentiu

February 3, 2016 (JUBA) – South Sudanese government led by President Salva Kiir said on Wednesday that opposition forces have besieged the strategic town of Bentiu in the oil producing Unity state.

Speaking to reporters after an extraordinary Council of Ministers meeting in Juba, government spokesman and minister of information and broadcasting, Michael Makuei Lueth, said all routes leading to the oil producing town are cut off by the opposition forces of the Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA-IO) led by former Vice-president, Riek Machar.

“We don’t know their intention but they have closed all the roads; around Bentiu are closed and there is no movement into or out of the town,” said Makuei, referring to a security report presented by ministers of defense and national security in a meeting chaired by President Salva Kiir on Wednesday.

“We don’t think it is cantonment or assembling of SPLM-IO forces because you don’t decide cantonment areas on your own. It is something that all parties do jointly,” he said in reference to assembly areas contained in the peace agreement signed five months ago to end the 21 months old war.

Makuei said the government was monitoring the movement of the opposition troops closely.

SPLA-IO REFUTES ACCUSATION

Meanwhile, officials of the SPLM-IO have denied the accusations, saying this could be a pretext by the government if it planned to attack their forces in Unity state.

“Our forces have not moved out. They are in their bases,” said James Gatdet Dak, official spokesman of the SPLM-IO leadership.

“We hope this is not a pretext by the government to attack our forces in the area,” he said.

He also said the government could be trying to divert the public attention from the ceasefire violations and atrocities it has been committing in Western Equatoria state.

Clashes this week occurred in Mundri county of Western Equatoria state between government troops and opposition forces, with the chairman of the Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (JMEC), Festus Mogae, confirming the dire situation in the area.

The opposition faction accused the South Sudanese army (SPLA) of attacking their positions and civilian settlements in Western Equatoria. While the government’s newly appointed governor in the area confirmed the clashes, senior military leaders in Juba denied having received reports about the fighting.

(ST)