A dispute erupted within an SPLA unit in eastern Upper Nile on Friday, causing one death and several injuries, according to a source at the divisional headquarters in Renk in Upper Nile.

He said that on Friday there was a fight between drunk soldiers armed with sticks near Maban County in northern Upper Nile that resulted in one death and two wounded.

The fight took place among soldiers of Brigade One, Division One at Tipen between Maban and Jiang Ageer, and the two injured were taken to Renk hospital.

The source, speaking to Radio Tamazuj, declined to comment on whether the fight took place along ethnic lines.

Defections continue

Separately, the same source confirmed that government soldiers in Upper Nile continued to defect to join the opposition.

At least six soldiers defected from SPLA Infantry Division Two on Thursday. Two were from Brigade Two and four were from the division headquarters.

The source could not confirm where the soldiers went but he believed they had crossed the Nile to Wadakona. Wadakona is the county seat of Manyo and lies upriver from Renk on the opposite bank.

The source said that the SPLA did not pursue the six soldiers.

SPLA receives new military uniforms

The source added that soldiers in the division are being given new uniforms to replace those used since the beginning of the civil war.

He said the new uniforms will help differentiate government forces from the rebels.

“We are here receiving the uniforms not for the new war but according [to] the SPLA policies that decided to distribute new uniforms to its forces across the country,” he said.

File photo: Renk market at dusk.

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