SPLM-IO condemns government’s offensive in Central Equatoria
September 17, 2015 (ADDIS ABABA) – South Sudan’s armed opposition faction of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM-IO) has condemned the ongoing offensive by president Salva Kiir’s forces against their bases in Central Equatoria state.
“We have been receiving disturbing reports of ongoing ceasefire violations by soldiers of Salva Kiir. They have continued to attack our bases in Wunduruba payam at Lainya county while at the same time targeting civilians in the area,” said Machar’s spokesman, James Gatdet Dak, in a statement extended to Sudan Tribune on Thursday.
He also said president Kiir’s forces on Wednesday attacked civilians in Mundri county of Western Equatoria state, shooting at civilians in Jambo and Lui areas, looting property and burning houses to ashes.
“We condemn this barbaric act by the regime,” he said.
Dak said many civilians have been killed by government troops in the area while thousands more have been displaced and in dire humanitarian situation.
He accused the government of violating the ceasefire deal with the intention to try to regain territories from the opposition faction before it could declare positions controlled by their forces.
He said this is the same strategy the government has been attempting to implement in other states including the two oil-rich Unity and Upper Nile states, which shall be governed by the opposition governors for 30 months in accordance with the peace agreement signed in August.
“The regime’s intention is to try to capture territories we have been holding. The plan is to claim control of these areas so that their military team could declare them as their areas of control at the workshop on security arrangements in Addis Ababa,” he said.
He called on the East African regional bloc, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), to monitor and verify the violations and for the international community to condemn these violations.
(ST)