Fighting has erupted near Uror County of in Jonglei State between South Sudan’s government and SPLA-In Opposition forces, a senior rebel official told Radio Tamazuj this afternoon.
Manawa Peter Gatkuoth, SPLM-IO deputy head of information and public relations, said forces loyal to President Salva Kiir on Wednesday morning attacked their forces at Pajut area near Uror County of Lou Nuer territory in what the rebels have declared as Bieh State.
“This morning government forces tried to penetrate into Pajut area, which is under our control. So they wanted to enter Lou Nuer areas, but they were intercepted and clashes erupted,” he said.
Pajut area is a disputed territory, which lies on the border between the Dinka tribe of Duk County and Uror County of Lou Nuer tribe before the South Sudan Civil War erupted in December 2013.
The ex-state minister of physical infrastructure in Jonglei pointed out that the attacking troop clashes with a small force on frontlines outside Pajut area. Manawa, who is also the SPLA-IO spokesperson, said he hasn’t yet received details with regard to casualties and wounded soldiers from their side.
“We talked to our field commander there at Pajut area, but there are no more details so far,” said the rebel official.
He explained that the government troop plan to attack Lou Nuer territory through three fronts in order to liberate it from the armed opposition. However, he didn’t give further details about those three routes.
Lou Nuer area, also known as greater Akobo County, has been a stronghold of the SPLM-IO rebel group and its loose allied youths known as White Army since fighting erupted in December 2013.
Fear of fighting in Malakal
Separately, Manawa Gatkuoth said the Juba government is currently mobilising forces from Bahr al Ghazal region to take full control of Malakal town according to a military intelligence report they received.
“The government is planning to transport those forces from Bahr al Ghazal to Juba where they will be flown to Paloich and then to Malakal town,” he claimed.
“We think that the town of Malakal is not fully controlled by the government forces because Olony’s forces are partially controlling the town.”
He expressed concern about possible deadly clashes after those forces arrive in Malakal.
But SPLA Major-General Johnson Olony downplayed any mounting tensions in Malakal town, saying his forces are now stationed in the southern part of Malakal town according to their agreement with the SPLA leadership.
“For my part, I can assure you that there is no any problem at all unless somebody else wants to cause another problem,” he said in an exclusive interview with Radio Tamazuj this morning.