South Sudan army says SPLM-IO fighters attacked its position in Northern Liech

August 23, 2018 (JUBA) – The South Sudanese army spokesperson Brigadier General Lul Ruai Koang accused the main opposition group SPLM-IO of carrying out fresh attacks on the government positions in Northern Liech state.

The government and opposition factions now discussing the implementation matrix of the revitalized peace agreement which they finalized recently in Khartoum. However, since the 27 June, they committed themselves to the ceasefire agreement.

However, Koang and local officials in Northern Liech states in the Unity region accused the SPLM-IO fighters of violating the agreement and killing four government soldiers and injuring several others.

“The opposition forces on 21 attacked our position in two areas of Northern Liech State, we lost four service men and nine of the attackers were killed. That was a serious violation of the ceasefire,” the SPLA spokesperson told reporters in Juba.

He further called on the ceasefire monitoring body (CTSAMM) “to visit the area where the attack took place so that they know who was on the wrong side,” he said.

The IGAD and the African Union, as well as the Troika countries, called on the parties to observe the ceasefire and to not obstruct the humanitarian access warning that they would impose sanctions on the violators.

Recently the rebels accused the government forces of seeking to retake their areas in the northern and southern parts of the country ahead of the signing of final peace document next month.

(ST)