Four killed in fresh clashes outside S. Sudan’s capital

January 9, 2017 (JUBA) – At least four pro-government troops were killed in fresh clashes that occurred outside the South Sudan capital, Juba on Tuesday, the country’s armed opposition faction claimed.

The armed opposition’s deputy spokesperson, Lam Paul Gabriel accused the Juba government lacking commitment to the ceasefire deal signed on 21 December in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa.

The attack, said Lam, is “a clear demonstration that Salva Kiir has no intention whatsoever to respect the signed cessation of hostilities.”

Two of the armed opposition forces, he added, died in the attack.

The South Sudanese army spokesperson was unavailable to comment.

Heavy gunfire erupted in Juba when military posts at Kubri Haboba and Lemon Ghaba areas came under attack at 10 pm, forcing civilians to flee their homes in search of safety in parts of the town.

No official statistics have, till now, been released to the public on the number of people believed to have died during course of clashes.

On Friday last week, however, the government unveiled strict security measures after armed opposition forces loyal to the exiled former first vice president Riek Machar raided Juba on Thursday, causing panic and forcing authorities to impose steep measures.

Col. Chan Garang Lual, a rebel official who allied himself and his forces to the former first vice president, told Sudan Tribune Friday that his forces had attacked government positions on Thursday night because the government was not ready to implement the ceasefire.

South Sudan’s civil war, now in its fifth year, has killed tens of thousands of people and displaced more than two million civilians.

(ST)