The commissioner of Duk County in Jonglei State, John Chatim Ruei, said 48 local youth were killed and 34 others injured following a renewed fighting over the control of Pajut Town on Monday, a claim the SPLA-IO rubbished.
Pajut, a strategic town in Duk County which hosted one of the largest bases for the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF), fell to the opposition SPLA-IO last week, leaving over 30, 000 residents displaced.
Commissioner Chatim told Radio Tamazuj that the fighting, which lasted hours, saw the town liberated by Monday afternoon.
“As we speak, our youth took control of Pajut. After realizing that SPLA-IO and White Army fighters were not fighting the government but targeted innocent civilians, as evidenced by the looting of the town, our youth mobilized and attacked yesterday (Monday),” he said. “As a result, 48 local youth were killed, and 34 were injured. Of the injured, 14 have been brought to the county headquarters for treatment, while the rest, whose injuries are minor, remained there (Pajut).”
According to Chatim, the local youth took it upon themselves to liberate their area because the opposition fighters reportedly killed civilians and vandalized the town in fighting, which took an ethnic dimension.
“Our youth were angered by the indiscriminate killing of civilians, destruction, and looting of their properties. So they took arms and went to Pajut and chased away the rebels,” he stated. “I cannot confirm the casualties from the rebel side because they were not counted.”
However, Lt. Col. Khor Nyang Mabor, a SPLA-IO spokesperson in Jonglei State, repudiated the commissioner’s account and said they still control Pajut.
“Our forces and commanders are still in control of Pajut,” he said curtly. “There was no fighting there, and we have yet to decide whether to move back or forward.”
Gen. John Sunday Martin, a senior SPLA-IO commander, said the opposition group remains in full control of Pajut in Duk County, Jonglei State.