SPLM-IO accuses government of mass killing and abduction of civilians
October 25, 2015 (KAMPALA) – South Sudanese armed opposition faction of SPLM-IO, led by former vice-president, Riek Machar, has accused government troops loyal to president Salva Kiir of carrying out mass killing and abduction of women and young girls in the oil-rich Unity state.
“As per now, I speak with you 35 women and girls are still missing for the last four days. And our intelligence on the ground has confirmed that these women are with soldiers fighting alongside the government,” he said.
He claimed that the attack took place between Thursday and Saturday last week in an area called Padeer, south of Leer town, with an intention to loot cows and kidnap women and girls.
He further explained that a combined armed civilians from Bul Nuer of Mayom county and Jagei Nuer of Koch county backed government troops to attack the areas of the other Nuer communities, burning villages, looting moveable properties, raping and abducting women and young girls.
Earlier, Leer and Koch counties were captured by the SPLM-IO forces but withdrew later on allegedly due to new instructions from the leadership to observe the ceasefire.
“After signature of peace agreement in August our forces did not carry out any offensive against the government, but we were responding in self-defence. The government is all the times in aggression but we could not tolerate and have to strike back,” Biding added.
Last week United Nations (UN) issued warning of threats of famine in southern part of Unity state after thousands of people took to bush as they fear for ongoing fighting between armed opposition and pro-government forces.
Hundreds of thousands of populations of civilians in Unity state live in the bushes due to fear of attacks. Most of them have never received any assistance from humanitarian organizations.
According to UN, majority of these people are displaced in swampy or live in suds-land and survive on fish, water lily and wild roots.
As they lack medicines and proper health facility most of the children and pregnant mothers risk great danger of malaria and water-borne diseases.
Although both parties of the conflicts in South Sudan have claimed to commit to the peace agreement implementation, such commitments are always shaky with violations.
(ST)