South Sudan army accused of fresh attacks
By Tesfa-Alem Tekle
December 25, 2015 (ADDIS ABABA) – South Sudan’s armed opposition faction (SPLA-IO) has accused government forces of launching fresh attacks on its positions in west bank despite the arrival in Juba of the opposition advance team.
“On Thursday morning around 6:30 AM, South Sudan forces crossed the river from Malakal to West bank and attacked our defensive position in Makal chollo, the North of Malakal town”
After the attacks, Deng said their forces have made tactical withdrawal to avoid further confrontation with government forces.
He added the tactical withdrawal was also to honour the ongoing talks in Juba between the two conflicting parties to implement peace deal and find a lasting solution to the civil war that rages in the country for the last 2 years.
A first group of the SPLM-IO advance team comprising 150 members has arrived in the capital Juba earlier this week.
A second and last group of a total 459 members of the advance team is expected to land in Juba before 28 December.
As well as mobilizing implementation of the peace deal, the opposition’s advance team members, who will also be dispatched to the respective nine states will also be tasked in the process of reconciliation and healing among the people.
With regard to the latest attacks, the armed opposition military official accused the acting care taker governor of Upper Nile Lt Gen. Chol Thon, being behind the latest attacks.
Deng alleged that the caretaker governor of Upper Nile Lt Gen. Chol Thon he had been mobilizing the anti peace group and some commanders from SPLA/Juba faction since Monday to attack opposition position.
“He also raised the SPLM flag in Malakal town, symbolizing the returns of state capital from Renk to Malakal,” he added.
The rebel group urged Juba government to have unity of command of its forces and embark on the spirit of peace.
Deng said the new aggression by the regime in Juba is a violation of the peace agreement and could derail ongoing efforts to the implementation of the peace deal.
“Juba seems to be dragging its feet towards the implementation of this Compromised Peace Agreement (CPA)” he said adding “Juba must appreciate this new dawn of CPA and therefore it has to celebrate a language of peace, love and unity among South Sudanese”
Approached by Sudan Tribune, South Sudanese refugees in Ethiopia called on IGAD and the wider international community to put maximum pressure against the two warring factions to honour the peace deal and stop fighting.
They said it is about time for the UN and the international community to take actions against any of the two sides violating the peace deal.
The two warring factions are expected to form a transitional government before January 2016 however Some South Sudanese here in Addis Ababa doubt that referring to the fresh clashes and the latest decrees issued by President Salva Kiir.
Violations of peace agreement including failure to hold fire and repeated presidential decrees they said could derail the process of peace implementation and further the formation of transitional government as planned.
They have also expressed fear that fresh fighting which came while the SPLM-IO advance team is in Juba might lead to a collapse the internationally brokered peace accord unless arrested sooner.
South Sudan’s president Salva Kiir, on Thursday issued presidential decree appointing governors for the 28 newly created states expanded from previous ten.
Kiir’s move to appoint governors comes only three days after the SPLM-IO advance team arrived in Juba raising a lot of questions and concerns among South Sudanese community.
(ST)