The South Sudan United Front/Army (SSUF/A) led by Gen. Paul Malong has deferred its participation in the Ceasefire and Transitional Security Arrangements Monitoring and Verification Mechanism (CTSAMVM) by 21 days citing an attack on one of their bases by the SSPDF, a spokesperson said.
The SSUF/A representatives to the CTSAMVM were slated to arrive in Juba on Monday.
Garang Malual Deng Yak, the SSUF/A spokesperson, told Radio Tamazuj Tuesday that they postponed going to Juba for 21 days.
“We have not withdrawn from going to Juba but we have postponed our going which was to happen on Monday for 21 days,” he explained. “The extension was informed by an attack on our forces in Aneet in Northern Bahr el Ghazal State and that is actually the reason we are not going to Juba.”
“We are however not withdrawing from the peace talks but we have extended going to Juba for 21 days and we have informed Sant’Egidio about this so that they can take it up with the government,” he added.
Malual said that in the event the government ceases the attacks on their positions, then they will go to Juba and join the security mechanism.
“We demand that the government stops attacking our forces and if they continue then it means they are not ready for peace. So why should we go to Juba when the government is not ready to observe the ceasefire?” he charged. “If the government is attacking our forces and they expect us to go join the CTSAMVM team and go for talks in Rome, do you think that is fair? If they continue attacking us then they have declared war.”
“You cannot be fighting and talking at the same time, we must do one thing. If the government wants us to fight, then we will and if they want to talk then we will talk,” he added.
SSUF/A declares war
The SSUF/A military spokesperson, Col. Philip Deng Kuol Nguot, however, released a press statement over the weekend condemning an SSPDF offensive on their position in Northern Bahr el Ghazal and demanded the immediate release of their soldiers who had been captured by the SSPDF.
“The office of SSUF/A official military spokesman informs the Community of Sant’Egidio, the CTSAMVM, and the general public that on 11 August at around 4:30 am, SSUF/A military base under the command of deputy sector (2) commander Maj. Gen. Peter Lueth Akolda in Bar-Rurud outpost came under heavy attack by the government forces under the directives of SSPDF commander Maj. Gen. Chol Madol,” he wrote.
Col. Deng said the SSUF/A’s area operations commander Brig. Gen. Akol Ngong Ayok was taken hostage alongside 5 noncommissioned officers. He added that one Maj. Wol Bol had been taken captive a week prior to the attack.
“We demand their immediate release from that military custody,” he said. “Since we announced our locations and the size of the forces according to the requirements of Rome Communique in preparation for the deployment of our members into the ranks of CTSAMVM structures by August 15, 2022 AD, the regime’s forces have been regularly conducting very malicious operations on the positions of our forces in different parts of greater Bahr El Ghazal region.”
Col. Deng said if the SSPDF keeps violating the cessation of hostilities agreement, SSUF/A will be forced to withdraw its commitment agreement.
“We would also like to make it crystal clear that from today onwards we will conduct military operations in all locations in the country and our beloved civilians are urged to avoid all combat areas,” he said. “All our forces are directed to vividly wield their military arsenal and stay on maximum alert because this belligerent language is what the government in Juba understands.”