South Sudanese rebels accuse government troops of violating ceasefire

April 27, 2015 (ADDIS ABABA) – South Sudanese rebel group led by former vice-president, Riek Machar, have accused government troops loyal to president Salva Kiir of launching fresh offensive against their positions in the oil rich Unity state.

“At 7:00am this morning, the government troops came out in two directions, one group went straight to Nhial-Diu payam south west of Bentiu where our military base is located and the other one went to Guit county, southern part of state,” said rebels military deputy spokesperson, Dickson Gatluak Jok, in a press release seen by Sudan Tribune on Monday.

“Fighting is ongoing according to our military correspondents on the ground in Unity state,” he said.

He said the opposition forces staged a stiff resistance and would likely repulse the attacks in self defence.

He also warned that the rebels would soon carry out attacks against the government positions including the state capital, Bentiu, in retaliation, assuring civilians in the area in anticipation of the attack.

“Since the government is using Bentiu as its strategic area for military offensive against our forces…We would make sure that they are smoke(d) out of the town before they make more military assault on us.”

“I therefore call upon the civil population in unity state that our forces will repulse the attackers soon; just it’s a matter of hours,” he claimed.

Government’s military spokesperson, Colonel Philip Aguer, could not be reached for comments.

The two rival armies have been accusing each other of violating the cessation of hostilities agreement which they signed since 23 January 2014.

The last round of peace talks in Addis Ababa to reach a peace agreement and end the war collapsed on 6 March with the regional bloc of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) seeking to expand and resume the mediation under a new mechanism.

(ST)