An amnesty period for armed groups to lay down their arms in the proposed Gbudwe state of Western Equatoria has ended, a local government official said on Monday.
Western Equatoria has seen intense fighting between the SPLA and armed groups aligned with rebel leader Riek Machar.
Jackson Ezekiel, minister of local government of Gbudwe state, said that governor Patrick Raphael Zamoi announced the end of the amnesty, and a financial reward for reports not he armed opposition in the region.
“Those who wanted to join have accepted the presidential amnesty and the governor amnesty and joined and they are now with us here. But those who refused to join how are we going to pursued them,” Ezekiel said. “There is no any amnesty that is granted forever. As the governor announced there is no any amnesty anymore. It is over,”
Western Equatoria has seen intense fighting between the SPLA and armed groups aligned with rebel leader Riek Machar.
This weekend, the Zande paramount chief Wilson Peni Rikito was arrested by security forces, which as raised tensions in the area.