South Sudanese rebels claim control of strategic new town
November 9, 2017 (JUBA) – The military command of South Sudan’s armed opposition faction (SPLM-IO), under the leadership of the former first vice president Riek Machar announced on Thursday the capture and control of the two strategic areas in the young nation.
“The SPLA IO forces under the command of Gen. Abdalla Lokeno Anjelo attacked and took full control of New Site on 6/11/2017; killing more than 50 government soldiers and injuring several. The remaining soldiers ran in disarray and are still being picked one at a time by our forces. Our gallant force destroyed 1 ZPU-2 14.5MM AA and captured 4 PKMs, 3 RPGs and 40 Ak47”, the statement partly reads.
The deputy rebel spokesperson, Paul Lam Gabriel said the SPLA-IO chief of general staff, Lt. General Simon Gatwech Dual appreciated the brave work of the patriotic soldiers for taking full control of these two strategic areas and called upon the nationalistic and patriotic officers still loyal to the government to “wake up” and defend the interest of the people instead of individuals in the leadership and government of the South Sudanese President Salva Kiir.
“The chief [of staff] also calls upon all nationalistic soldiers still under the Juba regime to wake up and defend the people’s interest rather than Salva kiir and his team of corrupt officials by joining the SPLA IO under the leadership of Dr. Riek Machar Teny”, adds the statement.
The armed opposition movement, Lam further said, also conducted joint operations with forces in brigade 2 and 5 (division 2B) under the joint command of Brig. Gen. Ramadan and Clement.
“The forces under separate commands launched an offensive against the government forces in Ombachi on 02/ 11/2017 in Yei area, resulting in the capture and the fight lasted for almost a week when the government forces finally got defeated and ran to Yei for safety leaving behind several mass graves,” the group stated.
“The SPLA-IO is currently in full control of Ombachi and civilians are coming back to reclaim their items forcefully taken by government forces sometimes back”, the statement further explained.
The attack comes barely a day after South Sudan government announced the extension of a unilateral ceasefire with the various armed opposition movements in the country.
The country’s information minister, Michael Makuei said the council of ministers, at a meeting chaired by the president, agreed on a unilateral ceasefire declaration to support the peace revitalization process initiated by the East African regional bloc (IGAD).
He said rebels fighting the Juba government were equally requested to honour the ceasefire, which has repeatedly been violated.
“The resident last time issued an order for the declaration of unilateral cease-fire; this time and by tomorrow the president will reaffirm and declare another unilateral cease-fire on the cessation of hostilities,” Makuei told reporters in the capital, Juba on Tuesday.
The minister, however, expressed concerns that similar declarations of unilateral ceasefire, in the past, did not yield positive outcomes.
“This time the president hopes these strange groups who are causing us problems will abide by this order and reciprocate so that we give chance to revitalization,” he said.
South Sudan has reportedly now become the world’s fastest growing refugee crisis with more than 1.8 million refugees, including one million children, having sought safety in Uganda, Sudan, Ethiopia, Kenya, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Central African Republic (CAR).
(ST)