S. Sudan rebels claim withdrawal from Upper Nile area was tactical

March 8, 2015 (KAMPALA) – South Sudan’s armed opposition (SPLM-IO) admitted withdrawing from Wedakona, but claimed the pull-out from region north of Upper Nile state was “tactical”.

“Our withdrawal was part of militarily tactics. We are studying the number of forces that attacked us in the various locations in the areas,” Captain Malith Koang Riaw, a rebel spokesperson in the area told Sudan Tribune on Sunday.

He said the rebels are currently in Bushara payam, about 10 kilometers from Wedakona.

Riaw accused pro-government forces of allegedly launching attacks on to their positions in violation of the cessation of the hostilities deal.

“Very soon our supporters will hear different news. We are ready to repulse them back in just a matter of time,” said the rebel spokesperson.

Meanwhile, Riaw dismissed pro-government claims that rebels launched weeks of aggression in northern Upper Nile and Unity states.

“We have never attacked pro-government positions, but they are the ones who are on daily aggression to gain more territories from areas under our control,” said the South Sudanese rebel official.

“We only responded in self-defence, but not to gain control over their locations,” he added.

The two South Sudanese warring factions have threatened an all-out war as a means to achieve their own objectives after President Salva Kiir and opposition leader, Riek Machar failed to reach a consensus at the negotiations in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on Friday

More than 1.9 million people have been displaced by the conflicts that has claimed thousands of lives as over 2.5 million people remain at risk of facing severe famine.

(ST)