Former rebel spokesman vows to reclaim Lou Nuer area
March 8, 2015 (ADDIS ABABA) – Lul Ruai Koang, former military spokesperson of the rebel group led by former vice-president Riek Machar, said his forces would attack his home area of Lou Nuer to liberate it from the armed opposition movement.
Lul, who declared his defection from Machar’s movement last month in Nairobi returned to Juba after announcing the formation of a separate movement in his Lou Nuer territory.
He also claimed to have established a new army known as South Sudan Resistance Army (SSRA).
“With Riek Machar having unjustifiably refused to sign a final peace agreement, SSRA forces have no option left except to engage opposition forces in active combat operations in order to liberate Greater Akobo (Lou-Nuer) with a view of stopping it from being used as launching pad against the national army,” he wrote on his Facebook page on Sunday.
However, rebels commanders in the area distanced themselves from Lul. All the three commissioners of Greater Akobo of Lou Nuer counties who administer the territory on behalf of Machar’s Sudan Peoples’ Liberation Movement (SPLM-IO) dismissed as lies, Lul’s claims, saying his new movement was only on paper and had no single follower among the forces on the ground.
Also intellectuals and youth groups of Lou Nuer issued separate responses dismissing Lul’s claims of having support among the Lou Nuer.
All the three counties of Greater Akobo of Lou Nuer have been under the full control of the rebel forces led by the former vice-president.
CONGRATULATORY MESSAGE
The former spokesperson also congratulated president Kiir’s troops for the victory over Machar’s forces in Wedakona area, saying his leadership applauded it.
“The political and military leadership of South Sudan Resistance Movement (SSRM) and South Sudan Resistance Army (SSRA) takes this golden opportunity to congratulate the national army under overall command of Sector Two Commander, Lt. Gen. Jonson Gony Beliu for flushing out opposition forces of Wedakona, the Administrative HQs of Manyo county in Shulluk Kingdom,” Lul wrote.
He said the victory would bring security to the citizens in the town of Renk, the biggest and strategic area near to the Sudanese border.
“Regaining control of the area will usher in stability and tranquility to citizens of Renk town and the surrounding villages who have been living in fear of being shelled from the western bank of the White Nile River,” he said.
(ST)