Mayom County attackers came from Sudan’s direction: Governor
July 22, 2022 (JUBA) – The Governor of South Sudan’s Unity State, Joseph Nguen Monytuil has claimed the dissident group that carried out Friday’s attack in Mayom County came from the direction of neighbouring Sudan.
“I received a report this morning informing me of the sad news that Mayom county commissioner, Gen James Chuol Gatluak Manime has been killed. I asked people in the area how it happened because I know in the area there are no areas hosting rebels in the country but I told a group of armed people came from the direction of Sudan and sneaked into the area, attacked, and killed the commissioner”, he said.
Monytuil, however, said security forces are investigating Friday’s incident.
Gordon Buay, South Sudan’s deputy head of mission in Washington confirmed the attack, saying the security situation was “quiet and normal”.
“The commissioner was a good person. He controlled the situation and I think this was exploited. It was like he was betrayed from within,” he said.
The Mayom County Executive Director, Gatdet Gany Madut condemned the attack, which he said came from the direction of neighbouring Sudan.
“The rebel group killed a true serviceman and a strong leader. They came from the direction of Sudan. They came when people were sleeping. It was at night, the time when people were sleeping. It was in the day, they would not have come and they would not have succeeded”, he explained.
Separately, South Sudan’s army (SSPDF) spokesperson, Lul Ruai Koang Ruai said they are pursuing rebels who fled who assassinated the commissioner.
“The command had given directives and orders to pursue these rebels. Forces have been dispatched to pursue the rebel group that attacked the house of Mayom County commissioner and killed him with several members of the civilians who were in the house”, he told Sudan Tribune on Saturday.
In a Cooperation Agreement signed in 2012, Sudan and South Sudan agreed to “respect for each other’s sovereignty and territorial integrity” and “refrain from launching any attack, including bombardment”.
The accord also covers five principles of which the two clauses, referring to no border crossing operations and no supporting of proxies were important. Despite this, officials in Juba and Khartoum continue to trade accusations of each hosting rebels with a view to changing the government in either country, accusations both deny.
(ST)