South Sudan rebels seize strategic town in W. Bahr el Ghazal

May 31, 2015 (JUBA) – South Sudanese rebels led by former vice president, Riek Machar, on Sunday seized a strategic town of Bazia in Western Bahr el Ghazal state, highlighting the scale at which the opposition fighters are expanding the scope of their operations.

The capture of the town, located some 50km south of the state capital, Wau town, on the way to Western Equatoria state, cuts the traffic between the state and the rest of the country. It also represents a serious security threat to the state capital, Wau.

This came days after forces under the overall command of Major General Dau Aturjong claimed to have captured a number of locations in Northern Bahr el Ghazal state, while another General, Abdel Latif, allied to former vice president also gave citizens in Rumbek 72 hours to evacuate the town, pending attack.

Several military sources from the South Sudanese army (SPLA) and state government officials as well as rebel sources told Sudan Tribune that the rebel fighters allied to the former vice president Riek Machar took control of the town on Sunday morning.

Abdallah Kuot, spokesperson of the rebel forces in Northern Bahr el Ghazal state told Sudan Tribune on Sunday that their troops also captured some government soldiers at Bazia, including four police officers and were under their custody.

“Our forces today captured one of the strategic towns in Western Bahr el Ghazal. Bazia has fallen under the control of our forces this morning without major casualties on our side,” said Kuot without giving additional information when contacted on Sunday.

He said the fall of the town was expanding their control in the area after taking its military base, which had been used by the government to defend the military headquarters and state capital in Wau.

Machar’s spokesperson, James Gatdet Dak, also said his office had received a report confirming the capture of Bazia town and other villages, adding that the operation was commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Benson Joseph in which different types of war equipment were captured.

Among the captured equipment, he said, included 16 AK rifles, 1 car and 1 communication equipment.

Wau county commissioner, Elia Kamilo Dimo, also confirmed in a separate interview the fall of the town under the control of the rebels, admitting that opposition forces were still in the area at the time of interview.

Fighting escalated in recent weeks following what was said to be a full scale offensive by government to regain control of the territories held by the rebels. The opposition forces retaliated by counter-attacking government’s positions in the country.

(ST)