Fear of South Sudanese rebels presence in Western Bahr el Ghazal

April, 29 2015 (RAJA) – A close source from the South Sudanese military intelligence in Western Bahr el Ghazal state said a movement of rebel fighters under the leadership of former vice president, Riek Machar, was detected in parts of the state.

“On Friday, we learned that military helicopters carrying elements of SPLA-in-Opposition have landed in the forest and arrested honey hunters whom they later released,” an intelligence officer who preferred to remain anonymous told Sudan Tribune on Wednesday.

He claimed that rebel forces of the Sudan Peoples’ Liberation Movement (SPLM-IO) have established a base in Raja county, particularly around the border towns of Boromadina and Timsha, further alleging that Sudanese government was transporting them to the area.

“There is no doubt on the presence of rebels in Raja county and they are members of Raja community, because those who were arrested by those who landed in the area using helicopter said they have identified the army [rebels] through language they used,” he said.

The area is a thick forest in western part of Raja county near the Sudanese border where civilians go for hunting honey.

There had been allegations from Western Bahr el Ghazal state authority since last year that Sudan in Southern Darfur was accommodating the rebels who established military training camps in the areas of Domia, Dhein and Rodom respectively with recruitment of new forces mainly from the Raja youth.

SPLM-IO has also appointed a caretaker governor for the newly created Wau state who is said to be on the ground in Western Bahr el Ghazal trying to mobilise youth to start military activities in the state.

The accusation comes a day after president Omer Hassan Al-Bashir warned to pursue his country’s rebels inside South Sudan’s territory whether they are in “Raga, Aweil or Juba,” accusing the South Sudanese government of hosting, training and arming its rebel groups such as Justice and Equality Movement (JEM).

Sudan on many occasions carried out air raids inside South Sudan’s territory in what it claimed to be in pursuit against the rebels. The two countries have been trading accusations of supporting each other’s rebel groups.

There are fears that unless the war ends peacefully it may spill over to the previously relatively peaceful states of Bahr el Ghazal region. General Dau Aturjong of Northern Bahr el Ghazal and General Khamis Abdel Latif of Lakes state were also said to have been mobilising youth on the ground to start military operations against the government in Bahr el Ghazal region.

(ST)