South Sudan army vows hot pursuit of rebels after retaking Malakal town
July 6, 2015 (JUBA) – South Sudanese army (SPLA) said on Monday it will pursue the rebels after regaining control of the strategic town of Malakal, capital of the oil-rich Upper Nile state, sparking security and humanitarian concerns after armed opposition fighters allied to the former vice president Riek Machar, withdrew from the town on Monday.
“I am talking to you in the operation area. Everything is under control. The rebels have fled and our forces are pursuing them,” General Mawut told Sudan Tribune on Monday.
“But this time we will not leave them. It will not be like the other operation. We have tolerated their criminal activities. We will give them hot pursuit. We will go after them since they do not abide by what they themselves have agreed and signed,” he claimed.
Mawut said the general command was forced to act against the alleged rebel activities to launch counter offensive to regain control of Malakal town and other areas in Jonglei and Unity states.
The chief of general staff of the government forces, Paul Malong Awan, he said, was also in the area overseeing the military operations in the state.
“We are all here. The general command is here. The chief of general staff is here for this operation. There must be an end to this,” he said.
Meanwhile the Upper Nile state minister of information, Peter Hoth Tuach, confirmed in a separate interview with Sudan Tribune that the government forces have regained control of the state capital.
“There has been heavy fighting for the last two days. The rebels moved out of Malakal and attempted to make advance on the position of our gallant SPLA forces in Akoka and Kodok but they were defeated and pursued and today they were dislodged from Malakal town,” Tuach told Sudan Tribune on Monday.
The state government’s spokesperson also confirmed the presence of the top military leadership in the area, pointing out that the presence of the chief of general staff, Paul Malong Awan, and many other senior commanders to personally oversee the military operations had added pressure on the government forces to regain control of the area.
“The chief of general staff has been here for the last three days. He is overseeing the operation against the rebels. They will now be pursued wherever they go”, he said.
But the armed opposition fighters rubbished the government’s claims of foreseeable victory saying such comments were not new.
“These comments of imaginary military victories are not new. We have heard these before. Somebody sent in foreign troops and promised that his interference would end the war militarily in four days. This did not happen. Another one came in as new army chief last year and vowed he would crush all our forces in 30 days. It did not happen,” rebel leader’s spokesman, James Gatdet Dak, told Sudan Tribune on Monday.
“Today we are approaching 20 months fighting. The best way to end the war is through peaceful political peace agreement,” Dak added.
He pointed out that there was no fighting that took place inside Malakal town on Monday as alleged by the government’s military and political officials, saying their forces tactically withdrew from the town without a gunshot.
UN CONFIRMS MALAKAL TAKEOVER
The deputy spokesperson for UN secretary general, Farhan Haq said its mssion in South Sudan (UNMISS) reportedly heard three mortar rounds this morning fired from positions northeast of the mission’s compound towards Malakal town in the oil-rich region.
“Shortly thereafter, UNMISS observed approximately 400 SPLA troops driving past its compound in the direction of Malakal town led by tanks and armored personnel carriers,” Haq said in a brief statement he extended to Sudan Tribune on Monday.
“No fighting was subsequently heard, indicating that SPLA troops have regained control of the Upper Nile State capital and armed opposition forces had withdrawn from Malakal prior to the arrival of government troops”, he added.
Peace talks to try to end the war between the two rival factions is expected to resume this July in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa.
(ST)