SPLA forces desert deployment areas in Wau due to lack of food, ammunition

February 26, 2016 (BAGARI) – The soldiers of the South Sudan’s national army have started to desert their areas of deployment in the newly created Wau state due to lack of food and ammunition.

Some deserting soldiers who spoke to Sudan Tribune on condition of anonymity on Friday said they have been deployed in parts of Wau county in Bagari and Ngiso areas since last year to protect the civilians from the rebels but they decided to leave the areas because they are not being given food.

“We are there without enough ammunition and we are just close to the enemy. They used to attack our positions on daily basis but we have no ammunitions and heavy weapons that is why we are falling out,” said a soldier who declined to be identified .

“We are just about 100 troops controlling many areas but now we have come back to our headquarters in the town so that we can see if the administration should provide us with our needs or we remain in the town,” he further said.

Meanwhile, top military officers and state government officials close to the office of the state governor have accused the South Sudan’s chief of general staff, Paul Malong Awan, of being behind the crisis in Wau.

A top military officer in the Fifth Infantry Division in Wau said Malong has deployed across Wau town his private soldiers who have been responsible for looting and night killings of members of non Dinka ethnic groups in Wau town.

“Yes Mathiang – Anyor armed forces of Malong are in Wau and are not listening to our commands, who are in charge [of the] army in the state,” said the officer.

One of the state officials close to the office of the state governor, said Malong’s forces have been in Wau for the past two years after they were requested by the former governor Rizik Zecharia Hassan, to come to the state.

He said their mission was to protect the civilians in the area, but instead allegedly turned into “criminals” themselves, killing, looting and torturing the residents of Wau town.

Malong is accused of recruiting 10 thousands soldiers from Western Bahr el-Ghazal. However the SPLA headquarters denied the accusations several times.

(ST)