Evacuated oil workers return to South Sudan oil fields
May 21, 2015 (JUBA) – South Sudan said it had returned its oil workers to the country’s production areas, a day after they were evacuated from the oilfields in Upper Nile state due to heavy fighting between the two warring factions in the region on Wednesday.
He said enough forces were deployed to protect the country’s oil facilities.
“These workers have are returning. The rebels have already been defeated from Melut. Our forces have destroyed three of their boats which have been causing panic. They are now still burning and weapons which they were using are now exploding,” said Tuach.
He added, “The civilians have started to return to their homes because the UN-run camp here in Melut is too small to accommodate all. It was over swollen on Tuesday”.
SPLA RETAKE MELUT
The South Sudan army (SPLA) spokesperson, Phillip Aguer said pro-government forces dislodged the armed opposition forces from Melut, a town close to the oilfields.
“This afternoon at 4:30pm, our gallant SPLA forces dislodged rebels of Riek Machar and forces of Johnson Olony from Melut,” Aguer told reporters in Juba on Thursday.
“The boats they used have been destroyed and our forces are still pursuing them. The general command of the SPLA asks the criminals and other forces in Malakal to leave”, he added, saying the SPLA were capable of defending the nation’s territory and citizens.
PALOCH OILFIELD BESIEGED
The rebel leader’s spokesman, James Dak said the country’s main oilfields of Paloch, some 200kms north of Malakal, had been besieged and designated priority target.
“SPLM/SPLA forces have converged around Paloch oilfields – Adar (Upper Nile) state – from different directions to capture the oilfields from pro-Salva Kiir forces any time soon,” Dak said.
He said the leadership of the movement also renewed “strong advice” to any remaining oil worker in Paloch to evacuate for safety reasons.
He accused the government of allegedly using some oil workers as human shield and said Juba would be responsible for any harm on them.
“We have learnt with disbelief that the government, out of panic, has prevented some of international oil workers from leaving the area, using them as human shield,” he said.
“We call on oil companies operating in the area to ensure their workers are evacuated.”
The rebels said their counter-offensive aimed to temporarily close down oil production or to cut off Juba from the oil revenues which they said president Kiir’s government had been using to “hire mercenaries and buy weaponry to perpetuate the war.”
This, Dak said, was in response to government’s “full scale offense” which he described as a violation of the cessation of hostilities agreement between the two warring parties.
(ST)