South Sudan rebels kill Mayom county commissioner
July 22, 2022 (MAYOM, Unity State) – The Mayom County in South Sudan’s Unity State, Chuol Gatluak Manime has been killed, a rebel group said.
The group, operating under South Sudan People’s Movement/Army (SSPM/A), claimed it carried out the attack in a statement issued on Friday.
The incident, it said, was in retaliation for military attacks onto its positions.
Led by the former commander of government forces in the 1st and 5th infantry divisions, Gen. Stephen Buoy Rolnyang, SSPM/A urged international oil workers in the Greater Upper Nile region to evacuate the area in a week.
“Major General Kerubino Ruay Tap, the SSPDF commander of 4th infantry division, came to Mayom town, unity state last week with intention area of SSPDF and launched an attack on the SSPM forces at Bong on 21/07/2022, killing one soldier. The SSPM/A retaliated immediately by attacking and capturing Mayom this morning on 22/07/2022, at around 0300 hours am”, partly reads the group’s statement extended to Sudan Tribune on Friday
The statement further directed its forces to withdraw from Mayom town to nearby villages where they shall reorganize and conduct similar operations against military objectives, regime pro militia, and regime installation in western Upper Nile and part of Warrap, Northern Bahr el Ghazal and Raja.
“As part of our rule of engagement, the SSPM/A shall be committed to minimizing unnecessary suffering of civilians and other non-combatants, religious people, correspondents, local and international NGOs [non-governmental organizations] and foreign nationals,” noted the statement.
Mayen Wichar, a state government official, confirmed Manime’s death.
“It is true and sad. The Mayom County commissioner has been killed by the forces of Gen. Stephen Buoy Rolnyang. They attacked the town early this morning and burn it down to ashes. They targeted the residency of the county commissioner and killed him with all of his bodyguards”, he said.
He described the killing as “an act of heartless goons and thugs who have accepted to be used by foreign powers to cause instability in the area”.
In 2018, Rolnyang, a former military commander in the country’s military, was charged for planning a rebellion and controversially stripped of his rank.
(ST)