Heavy fighting has erupted between South Sudanese army (SPLA) and the opposition forces of the SPLA-IO in Pagak area near the border with Ethiopia.

Bol Ruach Rom, the government-appointed governor of Maiwut State, told Radio Tamazuj today that clashes occurred in the area of Pagak when SPLA-IO forces attacked their defensive positions on Monday morning.

“Yesterday morning around 6: 09 am, our forces came under heavy fire from the armed groups under Machar but they were repulsed back. They came from the eastern part of Pagak town,” he said.

The state official claimed that their forces had inflicted heavy losses on rebel forces during fighting in the town of Pagak yesterday morning.  He pointed out that the fighting lasted for 18 minutes only.

He pointed out that one soldier was killed and two others wounded from their side during the clashes. However, Governor Bol said that calm has returned to the town of Pagak.

Rebel deputy spokesman Lam Paul Gabriel confirmed that clashes erupted on Monday morning in an attempt to regain Pagak.

However, he didn’t give more details about the clashes.