SPLM-IO commanders surrender to Ugandan army, spokesperson confirms
April 21, 2017 (JUBA)-The armed opposition Sudan People Liberation Movement (SPLM-IO) Friday has confirmed that some senior commanders have surrendered to the Ugandan army deployed in the northern part of the east African country.
Last week, several media outlets in Uganda reported the two senior SPLM-IO officers Identified as Maj. Gen Benjamin Luboi and Brigadier Gen. Taban surrendered to Ugandan army in Padibe Sub-county, Uganda’s northern Lamwo district near the South Sudan’s Eastern Equatoria province.
Initially, the armed opposition group had denied the report, saying only civilians have fled to northern Uganda.
However, the newly appointed deputy SPLM-IO spokesperson, Lam Paul Gabriel confirmed the report and said they welcome the decision by Ugandan authorities and the UNHCR.
“We would like to thank the staffs of the Ugandan prime minister’s office and the United Nation High Commissioner for Refugees for helping Benjamin and his friends get registered as refugees,” he added.
Gabriel dismissed that any of the two rebel officers was the commander of the rebel forces in Pajok, Eastern Equatoria.
“The sector command base is not in Pajok but between Imotong and Namurunyang/ Kapoeta state,” he added.
Earlier this month of April, the UNHCR reported that over 6000 refugees have crossed into northern Uganda district of Lamwo.
The influx of refugees was triggered by a military operation carried out by the government forces in Pajok, a town of more than 10,000 people 15 km (10 miles) north of the Ugandan border, to flush out rebel guerrillas in the area.
(ST)