Over 100 soldiers killed in South Sudan’s Jonglei state

August 22, 2016 (JUBA) – More than 100 soldiers on both sides of South Sudanese rival armies have been killed over the weekend following renewed fighting in Jonglei state, local officials said.

Jonglei State Governor, Philip Aguer Panyang, said suspected SPLA in Opposition (SPLA-IO) forces of White Army on Saturday attacked Pajut, headquarters of an administrative unit in Duk county at dawn but were repulsed.

“The Sudan People’s Liberation Army in opposition [SPLA-IO] lost 101 white army soldiers along the trenches and many bodies [are] still being collected in the bushes where the SPLA had flanked them after they sneaked into Pajut military fence,” said Aguer, a former spokesman of SPLA before being appointed a governor in December 2015.

SPLA Spokesman, Brig. Gen. Lul Ruai Koang, confirmed the attack on Pajut on Saturday evening but declined to provide details.

Pajut is main SPLA barrack bordering Uror county, a stronghold of the armed SPLM-IO under the leadership of former First Vice President, Riek Machar. This is the first fighting reported in the area since the peace agreement was signed in August last year between the armies loyal to President Salva Kiir and former First Vice President, Machar.

The fighting erupted six weeks after the violence occurred in the capital, Juba, on 8 July between forces loyal to President Kiir and those loyal to First Vice President, Machar.

Aguer said 20 government soldiers were also killed over the weekend in the fighting which took place in the north-eastern county of Jonglei state.

(ST)