The Shilluk militia in Upper Nile State known as Agwelek, which is designated as a division of SPLA-IO in the state, have complained of “alarming” SPLA troop movements, fearing possible attack.
Agwelek forces control most of the west bank of the Nile in the state under the command of General Johnson Olony, since his defection from the army in April last year.
Major Gen Nyagwal Ajak Deng, the group’s spokesman, issued a statement Sunday saying that the South Sudanese government has been transporting troops recently to Malakal from Juba “and from within areas under their command in Upper Nile State.”
“President Salva Kiir with his regime forces transported huge SPLA [in Government] troops on 13th -14th May 2016 respectively to Shilluk kingdom west bank to civilians invaded areas previously such as Ditang village, Lelo village and Wajwok village in preparation for possible attack on our SPLA/IO Agwelek forces positions,” he said.
The spokesman said that SPLA forces with machine guns and artillery were seen crossing to the west bank in recent days.
Lul Ruai, the SPLA spokesman in Juba, dismissed these claims outright. “No, there is nothing like that. That is a lie of Johnson Olony,” he said when contacted by Radio Tamazuj yesterday.
“There isn’t any force that we took from Juba to Malakal. The force in Malakal is the one that has been there since a long time ago, there is not a new one. If there were any preparations in Malakal that was because we have the 16 May celebrations today [SPLA Day], not because we want to attack anybody in any place around Malakal. That is is propaganda of Johnson Olony,” he explained.
But Nyagwal says they are expecting fighting and vows that their forces will fight back if attacked.
“We have sufficient information that, Juba regime want to invade west bank of Chollo Kingdom in order to eliminate civilians population together with Agwelek forces and establish new false state so called West Nile State created recently by President Kiir through fake presidential decree establishing 28 states in South Sudan,” he said.
He was referring to the Establishment Order, which is rejected by General Olony and his group on the grounds that it seizes Shilluk lands such as Malakal city and gives them to the new Dinka tribe of President Kiir.