Juba plans military offensive against opposition forces in Mundri: SPLA-IO

March 16, 2016 (MUNDRI) – Military media officials of armed opposition faction based in the South Sudan’s greater Mundri of Amadi state (former Western Equatoria state) have accused the government of planning to attack their positions in further violation of the ceasefire agreement signed in August last year.

“The Governor of Amadi State has this morning demanded the commander of SPLA-Juba in Mundri Barracks to issue an order to despatch three trucks full of SPLA Juba military from Mundri towards Bari to fight the SPLAM IO forces in their assembly area and to proceed to Medewu, Ladingwa and up to Bangolo,” alleged a press statement signed by Baya Kayidri, the official Reporter of SPLA-IO, Division 9, Sector 5 in Western Equatoria state.

Kayidri said the aim of the government was to dislodge the opposition forces from their assembly point and have a permanent military deployment at Bari and areas far beyond Medewu.

“These are very unfortunate situations as it indicates that he [governor] is perusing war instead of focusing on the implementation of the signed peace agreement,” he said in the statement extended to Sudan Tribune on Wednesday.

He warned that the action will cause more humanitarian suffering among the civilian populations in these areas of targets.

“We therefore urge the JMEC and the CTSAMM to take note of these planned violation and advise the governor to stop all military activities in Greater Mundri counties and focus on the implementation of the signed peace agreement.”

He said the forces in Greater Mundri, originally Arrow Boys, are officially part and parcel of the SPLM-IO under the leadership of the first vice president designate, Riek Machar, and therefore have been covered by the ceasefire agreement.

He however added that it is unfortunate that civilians in these areas have suffered when the SPLA-Juba attacked the cantonment sites of the SPLA-IO early last month which resulted into cases like houses burnt and properties looted with majority of the populations remained displaced.

“Therefore, these second operation by SPLA Juba forces on SPLA IO is going to result to more looting of civilian properties, burning of houses, killing of innocent civilians and more displacement, which will affect more women, children and elderly men and women as they will be forced to run to bush again and suffer just as they have started suffering,” he further lamented.

JMEC and the UN, he said, should note that the current military operation by the government will hinder delivery of humanitarian aid to the suffering populations in those areas, adding the governor must be stopped from his “aggressive actions.”

(ST)