Gun battle between government forces erupts in Mayom

Photo: Commander Matthew Puljang addresses a crowd in Mayom, Unity State, early May 2013 (Radio Tamazuj)

Fierce fighting started between forces commanded by Gen. Mathew Puljang and a group of soldiers allied to Gen. Stephen Buay Rolnyang in Mayom.

Fierce fighting started between forces commanded by Gen. Mathew Puljang and a group of soldiers allied to Gen. Stephen Buay Rolnyang in Mayom.

The two commanders are allied to the South Sudanese army.

An army officer told Radio Tamazuj this afternoon that heavy fighting was ongoing between government troops commanded by Gen. Mathew Puljang and a group of soldiers commanded by  SPLA Division 5 former commander Stephen Buay Rolnyang in Mayom.

“The fighting is ongoing on. The clashes erupted around 11 am in Mayom,” an army officer under Gen. Puljang told Radio Tamazuj.

“Gen. Buay came to Mayom to visit his family, but we did not know that he came  from Wau to Mayom to cause problems,” he said.

He explained that Gen. Buay had refused to cooperate with a military committee set up in Juba to meet him in Mayom.