South Sudan army has issued a statement accusing two armed opposition groups of violating ceasefire eight times in multiple places in the country.
Brigadier General Lul Ruai Koang, spokesman of the SPLA army, said on Wednesday evening that rebel fighters loyal to the exiled former first vice Riek Machar and the former deputy chief of staff for logistics Thomas Cirilo have carried out coordinated out attacks in multiple places in the country.
The command of the army, according to Koang, has recorded eight violations of the cessation of hostilities agreement from different parts of the country since it was signed in Addis Ababa last month.
“These violations, he said, has resulted in the government forces clashing with a number of armed groups across the country between Christmas and New Year’s period.
The military spokesman said 25 people including15 civilians lost their lives in the clashes.
“The violations included six attacks on SPLA’s defensive positions in Yei River State and Northern Liech. The places are Yundu, Mbasi, Morobo, Wath-Nyoania, Thou-Maan-gor and Koch,” said Lul.
“We had two road ambushes at Napotpot and one between Ngauro and Kapoeta,” he added.
Lul denied reports that the government forces were responsible for initiating violations, claiming they were acting in self-defense when their forces came under attacks from opposition forces in some parts of the country.